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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666515">Well, This is Awkward</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyar1ka/pseuds/cyar1ka'>cyar1ka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Well, This is Awkward Series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Equalizer (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:41:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>88,501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666515</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyar1ka/pseuds/cyar1ka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave picks up reader at a bar for some fun while reader is celebrating her new job. Little do they know they’re going to be seeing each other again very very soon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carol York/Dave York, Dave York/Original Female Character(s), Dave York/Reader, Dave York/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Well, This is Awkward Series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2283020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Warnings: *SMUT*, hair pulling, cum play, choking, spanking, blowjob, language, cheating/infidelity, very heavy daddy kin, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP), probably missed a couple others, but either way 18+ only!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave picks up Reader at a bar for some fun while reader is celebrating her new job. Little do they know they’re going to be seeing each other again very very soon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: *SMUT*, hair pulling, cum play, choking, spanking, blowjob, language, cheating/infidelity, very heavy daddy kin, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP), probably missed a couple others</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave spied you from across the bar. His eyes following the curve of your breasts down the length of your body and as he greedily eyed your voluptuous ass he felt a stirring in his pants. It had been a long and brutal day at work for him, and he wasn’t in the mood to go home and see Carol just yet. They’d been having some problems as of late and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stick around anymore, but the thought of leaving his two girls made his heart ache. So he stayed. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun in the meantime, right?</p><p>You wore a short red dress that showed up ample cleavage, but not to the point of your breasts spilling out. You’d accessorized it simply with a gold set of earrings and bracelet, coupled with a long necklace that fell in front of your breasts and some very cute black pumps. He wanted you, and he wanted you bad.</p><hr/><p>You were out with your friends celebrating getting a new job as a nanny and didn’t have a care in the world when your friend Melody pointed out a very attractive-looking man sitting at the bar eyeing you. You turned your head and felt your heart stop. Gazing back at you was a pair of intense brown eyes that seemed to bore into the depths of your soul. You clenched your legs a little and gave him a small smile, just enough to tease him, but nothing more. You licked your lips and went back to the conversation at hand about the perks of the new job, all the while keeping an eye on the mysterious hottie out of the corner of your eye.</p><p>“Let’s dance, girls!” giggled your friend, Melody, while she grabbed your hand and began to sway her hips to the beat of the song. You laughed and shook your head at how drunk she was getting, but you weren’t going to be far behind her if you kept going. Looking this cute had some perks after all.</p><p>You glanced over at the bar at the mystery man and were delighted to see he was still staring at you, so you decided to give him a little incentive to come over and maybe have a little party of your own. You were in the mood for a little chase tonight.</p><p>Grabbing Melody’s hand you started to sway your hips in time to hers, but then decided to turn around and start grinding on her. You were soon joined by your two other friends, Ana and Scarlet, and you heard some whoops and whistles sent your way. You all started to seductively dance, dipping low to the ground and then slowly coming back up with your asses popped out. Ana grabbed Melody’s hips while Scarlet grabbed yours and you felt Scarlet give you a little kiss on your neck.</p><p>"I think that guy at the bar is about to come over, but he might need a little push,” she whispered in your ear.</p><p>You giggled and nodded. An idea popping into your head. You grabbed Scarlet’s hand and slowly brought it upwards, resting just below your breasts, while she began to pepper light kisses on your neck.</p><p>“I think it’s working,” you said, watching as Dave got up from the bar and made his way over to you. You closed your eyes and waited for his next move, hoping not to be disappointed.</p><p>“Mind if I cut in?” you heard behind you. With your eyes still closed you felt a shift and then a much warmer body press up against you, pulling you close. You reached your arms up and slung them around the body’s neck and started to grind up against him, feeling the telltale signs of a hard-on forming.</p><p>“Hope you don’t mind, princess, but I just couldn’t help myself when I saw you start dancing,” a gruff voice said into your ear. You giggled and shook your head. You had him right where you wanted him.</p><p>“Not at all, though I usually wait until I’ve been bought a drink first,” came your snarky reply. He pressed himself against you even more at that.</p><p>“That can be arranged, though I’m sure I can give you a better drink than one from this bar,” he huskily said. You smirked and shook your head.</p><p>“Maybe, but I’m quite a big fan of this bar and its drinks, so you’d have to really impress me.” You felt his hands on your hips give a little squeeze.</p><p>“I guess I’ll just have to do my best.”</p><hr/><p>Dave wasn’t sure what he wanted more, the chase or the reward at the end. Since seeing you and your friend’s affectionate display, he knew he had to have you, he was just torn between drawing it out or going in for the kill right away. A man of his conviction had some self-control after all, but he felt it slipping the more he thought about what he wanted to do to you. In the bathroom of the bar. The back of his SUV. Even in his own bed. Oh, now that was a fantasy he would love to indulge but knew it wasn’t the smartest one, considering he was married, but the ring in his pocket was long forgotten at this point.</p><p>He tilted his head down and sniffed your neck, becoming intoxicated by the mix of your perfume and the subtle smell of your body. His hands gave you another squeeze.</p><p>“How about I get you a drink and we can compare which you like better?”</p><p>You nodded and broke away from his embrace.</p><p>“Only if you promise to really let me get a good sample of your drink to compare,” you flirted, the double meaning behind your words reaching his ears. He inwardly groaned. <em>Fuck, I want her.</em></p><p>You both made your way to the bar and you proceeded to order a shot of whiskey.</p><p>“Whiskey, eh? A woman after my own heart,” he said as he watched you down the shot in one gulp but a little missed your mouth and dripped down your chin. He reached out and wiped the droplet away with his thumb and brought it to his lips.</p><p>You watched, enamored with his man’s charisma, and felt the wetness between your thighs increase as his thumb dipped into his mouth. <em>Fuck, I want him. So bad.</em></p><p>“It was the first drop of alcohol I ever tasted, and I must say, it’s my most favorite,” you stated as you held your gaze and arched your eyebrow at him.</p><p>“Why don’t you show me what kind of drink you’re offering me since you’ve got quite a bit to live up to now,” came your challenge. Dave smirked.</p><p>“You’ll enjoy it, I’m sure,” came his reply.</p><p>He took your hand and led to you the restrooms. Giggling, you pushed him in and wasted no time in catching his lips with yours as you pushed him up against the wall. You felt his hands on the curve of your ass and moaned, loving the feel of his large hands on your body. Your tongues battled for dominance as you snaked your way down his torso and began to undo his belt. He felt himself growing harder, the thoughts of having your lips around his cock becoming almost unbearable. Once you had his belt undone you slipped the zipper down and dipped your hands into the waistband of his pants, a groan escaping from his lips.</p><p>“Fuck, baby, that feels good,” he said. You smirked and began to stroke his length. Not wanting to have you be the only one having some fun he quickly pulled the straps of your dress down and began to kiss his way down your neck while his hand cupped your right breast. You moaned and rolled your head to the side, granting him more access. Dave lowered his mouth and took your left nipple into his mouth while his left hand pinched and squeezed as your right one. You arched your back, pushing them deeper into his mouth, and your hands tangled in his hair.</p><p>“Oh fuck, that feels so amazing, keep doing that,” you moaned out. Dave smirked into your breast and switched sides, while his right hand made its way up your thigh to cup you through your underwear.</p><p>“Shit, baby, you’re soaked,” he groaned out, as he pushed your panties to the side and slipped a finger in with ease. You threw your head back and moaned.</p><p>“All for you, Daddy. Fuck me with your fingers.” Dave felt himself grow harder hearing you call him Daddy. <em>Fuck, she is perfect.</em> He added a second finger into your soaked cunt and then a third, groaning as he felt as tight you squeezed his fingers.</p><p>“Yeah, you want Daddy to fuck this tight little cunt with my fingers? What about my cock, baby? Would you like that? Taking my fat cock into this tight pussy and squeezing it?” He said as he pumped his fingers in and out at an agonizingly slow pace.</p><p>“Mmmm yes please, Daddy. Use my pussy,” you moaned out feeling yourself grow wetter and he brought his thumb to your clit and started to rub slow circles on it.</p><p>“How about you cum on my fingers and then I give you that drink you want so badly?” Dave asked as he picked up the pace. Remembering that you had his cock in your hand you began to stroke him in time with his fingers slipping into your cunt.</p><p>“Ahhhhh fuck. Yes yes yes. Anything, Daddy. Please just let me cum, don’t tease,” you begged.</p><p>“Because you asked so nicely baby girl,” Dave said as he sped up his actions. He felt your walls clench around his fingers, as his thumb rubbed your clit, setting a brutal pace. He gazed down at your hand stroking his cock and then to his fingers disappearing into your pussy, eyeing the wetness coating his fingers every time he withdrew them from within you. He smirked and bit down on your neck, feeling your walls clench so tight around his fingers that he thought you might break them.</p><hr/><p>You didn’t want to admit it but his bite sent you over the edge and you felt yourself cum. Hard. Pushing your face into his chest to muffle your orgasm, you released his cock and clung onto his arm and chest, trying to keep yourself upright.</p><p>“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuckkkkkk. I’m cumming. I’m cumming, Daddy,” you whimpered out, the feeling of his fingers becoming too much as your orgasm rocked through your body.</p><p>Dave looked down at you clutching onto him and tilted your face up to his, looking into your lust-blown eyes.</p><p>“You ready for that drink, baby girl?” He asked, as he dipped down and kissed you. You nodded into the kiss and broke away to get on your knees. Fully taking his cock out of his pants, your eyes widened at how large he was. <em>How the fuck am I supposed to suck this?!</em></p><p>Dave caught your wide eyes and laughed.</p><p>“Take it inch by inch baby, I know you can take it all, don’t be afraid. Be a good girl and Daddy will reward you with my cock in your cunt,” he said as you started to stroke him.</p><p>Not one to turn down a challenge you looked up at him, locking eyes, and stuck your tongue out to lick the underside of his cock.</p><p>“Oh fuck,” he groaned out at the action, anticipation building for what was in store.</p><p>You smirked and repeated the action, and then without warning engulfed the head into your mouth and sucked. Dave brought his hand to the back of your head and grabbed your hair, trying hard not to just take what he wanted and fuck your face. You bobbed your head up and down, while your right hand stroked what you couldn’t fit into your mouth, and your left hand holding his thigh to keep you steady. You started to increase your pace and swirled your tongue around his cock while bobbing up and down on it. Your confidence increasing, you began to take his cock deeper and deeper into your throat, until you finally had him all the way in. Dave watched as you slowly took his cock deeper and deeper until your nose touched the short curls at the base.</p><p>“Oh god, baby. Yes, just like that. You like having Daddy’s cock in your mouth like the little slut you are?” Dave managed to groan out as he felt your throat constrict around him, your gag reflex starting to engage. You took your left thumb and made a fist, squeezing it to relax your gag reflex, and took a breath through your nose before moving your tongue under the head of his cock. It took everything in Dave not to cum right then and there at the feel of your tongue, and even more so when he felt you start to move on his dick. You surprised Dave when you reached for his hand and placed it on the back of your head, giving him a little wink.</p><p>“You want Daddy to face fuck you, baby, is that what you want?” Dave asked. His cock seemingly growing harder in your mouth at this thought. You merely gave a little nod and that was all Dave needed before he took control. He grabbed your hair and proceeded to fuck your mouth. In and out. In and out. In and out. He was impressed with your resilience and how you didn’t gag or tell him to stop his brutal pace, but he did see a few tears from the corner of your eyes. This spurred him on even more and he picked up the face further, growing a little sloppy as he felt his release looming.</p><p>You felt his balls tighten, signaling his imminent orgasm, and you decided to cup and start to massage his balls. That was too much for Dave and he exploded in your mouth, his movements stilling as his cock pulsed, and he watched as some of the cum leaked out the sides and dripped down your chin and onto your exposed breasts. <em>Holy fucking shit that was amazing. Too bad I can’t keep her around.</em> He watched as you slipped his cock out of your mouth and smile up at him. You giggled and opened your mouth for him to see that you held the cum there on your tongue.</p><p>“Ughh fuck baby girl, you’re so good. Swallow that cum for me. Let me see how much you like it,” he said, already feeling himself get hard again just watching you on your knees with his cum all over your face and tits. You closed your mouth and made a show of swallowing his cum, and then moved to scoop up the cum on your tits to bring it to your mouth.</p><p>“Yummy,” you said with a wink. “I do believe this is now my new favorite drink.”</p><p>Dave watched you stick your tongue out of your mouth and lick the remnants of his juices off from around your mouth, and what your tongue missed, your fingers caught. You stood up and felt Dave’s cock pressing into your stomach.</p><p>“Did I do good, Daddy?” You asked sweetly, kissing his neck while sliding your panties down your legs. “Can I have that cock now? Pretty please?”</p><p>Dave couldn’t say no to that, not after you gave him a mind-shattering blowjob AND swallowed. Something Carol never did for him. His mind was made up, before he left tonight and never saw you again he’d give you both want you wanted. Dave smirked and grabbed your hips.</p><p>“Turn around and put your hands on the mirror, princess,” he said into your ear as he switched positions with you so you were now against the sink. He brought his hands up to your dress and pushed your skirt up, seeing your round ass and dripping pussy ready and waiting for him. He brought his hand down onto your ass with a resounding <b>SLAP</b> and you moaned, liking the burn of his hand against your skin. He repeated the action two more times before lining his cock up with the entrance of your pussy and then quickly pushing in, filling you up with one smooth motion.</p><hr/><p>“OH FUCK,” you exclaimed, not ready for the stretch his cock gave you. You felt so full and your walls clenched around him. He gave you a second to adjust, and you watched through the mirror as he smirked and pulled you so your back rested against his chest, his hand around your throat.</p><p>“You like that, baby? You like feeling Daddy’s cock splitting you in two?” He huskily breathed into your ear. All you could do was nod and bite your lip. You needed him to move, pound you into oblivion. As if reading your thoughts Dave began a ruthless pace, squeezing the sides of your neck, as he hammered into you. In and out. In and out. In and out.</p><p>“Fuck baby, you’re taking me so well. Shit, your pussy feels like heaven,” he said as he looked down to watch his cock disappear into your soaked cunt. He wouldn’t last long at this rate. Apparently, neither would you.</p><p>He shifted his gaze to the mirror and watched as you gripped the edge of the sink, your face contorting with pleasure.</p><p>“Please, Daddy. Please, I’m about to cum, fuck, don’t stop,” you pleaded. Dave continued to pummel into you, his hand shifting from your neck to your breast, squeezing it and pinching the nipple.</p><p>“Don’t you dare cum until I say so,” he said, as he crushed your nipple between his thumb and index finger, watching you throw your head back in pleasure. He watched as you opened your mouth and let out a moan, stopping partway through remembering that you couldn’t be too loud. Dave moved his hand that was on your hip and snaked it to the front of your dress and pulled it up farther, exposing your pussy to his wanting eyes. His fingers met your swollen clit and it took everything in you not to cum right then and there.</p><p>“Ohhhh fuckkkkk,” you moaned. “Please let me cum. It’s too much.”</p><p><em>Fuck, I love when she begs.</em> Dave grinned at you through the mirror and began to rub your clit, not holding back with his pace as he pinched your clit while his throbbing cock smashed into you, nearing his own release.</p><p>“When I say cum, you can cum, until then you take it like the little slut you are, you hear me?” He said into your ear. You nodded and choked out a whimper.</p><p>“Please, Daddy, I can’t take anymore,” you begged. Dave felt your pussy ache around him and his thrusts started to get sloppy and erratic. He was almost there. Just. One. More. Push.</p><p>“Cum for me, baby girl,” he said with his last push as he bit down on your neck again and covered your mouth with his hand.</p><p>You let out a muffled scream as you felt your orgasm rock through your entire body. It felt like electricity running through your body as you came down from your high. You felt Dave pull out of you slowly and the rush of your combined juices flow out. He quickly brought his fingers up and pushed them into your sore pussy.</p><p>“Can’t let any go to waste, now can we? I want you to feel my cum dripping out of you when you go home tonight,” he arrogantly stated with a smirk. You moaned at the feel of his fingers pushing the bits of cum back into you and at the thought of being full with his cum for the rest of the night. Dave picked up your discarded underwear and brought it up to his nose and sniffed.</p><p>“I’m keeping these,” he said possessively, as he helped pull your dress down and watched you adjust your tits back into the dress. You pouted at him but then smiled.</p><p>“I guess it’s only fair. After all, you did give me such a good drink,” you sassed. Dave stuffed the panties into his pants pocket and felt his wedding ring. He sighed.</p><p>“As much as I’d love to do this again sometime, I can’t, but thank you for the wonderful time,” he said thoughtfully, unsure of why he felt the need to say all this. You shrugged.</p><p>“We both knew going into this what it was. I don’t expect to ever see you again, especially since I don’t even know your name,” you replied. You finished fixing your hair and gave yourself a once over, making sure you didn’t look like a complete mess. You turned around and gave him one more kiss before you made your way to the door.</p><p>“Thanks again, Daddy. You gave me one hell of a ride,” you said with a wink over your shoulder and made your way out of the restroom and out of his life.</p><hr/><p>Dave rolled his neck and straightened himself up. Washing his hands and fixing his hair he took his ring out of his pocket and looked at it. <em>Fuck, I am not looking forward to going home to Carol. Ugh.</em> He slipped the ring onto his finger and made his way out the backdoor of the bar, not wanting to risk seeing you if he went out the front. At the end of the day, he knew he’d never see you again unless he decided to use his agency contacts and find you.</p><p>He made his way to his SUV and sat in the driver’s seat. Pulling out your soaked panties he gave them another sniff and smiled. <em>At least I’ll have this to remember her by. </em>He placed them back into his pocket and begrudgingly made his way back home.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-THREE DAYS LATER-</strong> </em>
</p><p>Dave had been in a mood since Carol had told him that she hired a nanny for Molly and Alice. He didn’t like the thought of some stranger watching his girls when he was fully capable of that himself when he was home and Carol was busy working, but Carol said that it’d be a good opportunity for them to have more time without the girls. <em>Yeah right.</em></p><p>Today was the day the nanny would be coming to meet the girls and him, and he was busy helping Carol get the room ready for the said nanny to live in. <em>Not only did she hire a nanny but one that will live with us! Unbelievable!</em> Dave rolled his eyes and gave the room a once over to make sure that everything was up to his standards before closing the door and making his way downstairs. He’d heard the doorbell ring five minutes ago and heard voices, so he guessed that the nanny had arrived and was getting acquainted with the girls and his home. <em>Time to get this over with.</em></p><p>Dave made his way downstairs towards the voices in the kitchen, but once he rounded the corner he wasn’t prepared for the sight he was greeted with. You leaned over the kitchen island, ass sticking right out, talking with the girls about their drawings and with Carol about her work schedule.</p><p>“Oh, Dave! Honey, meet our nanny! This is Dave, my husband,” Carol excitedly said. “I was just telling her about being gone for work starting next week but how you’d be home to help with the girls if she needed anything.”</p><p>Dave was speechless. There you were. In his kitchen. Looking just as ravishing as the night he saw you, in your jeans and skin-hugging shirt.</p><p>“Dave? Are you ok, honey?” Carol asked him. He shook his head and looked at his wife.</p><p>“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine, sorry, just had a work thing come up a few minutes ago that distracted me. Sorry. Hi, I’m Dave, nice to meet you,” he responded, as he turned to you and held his hand out.</p><hr/><p>“Nice to meet you too, Mr. York,” came your smooth reply, not giving away your extreme shock at the turn of events, as you went to shake his hand. He rubbed his thumb against the back of your hand before letting go and clearing his throat.</p><p>“Call me Dave, please,” he stated. “Well, if you ladies need me I’ll be in my office upstairs, taking care of some work things,” he politely said, still reeling from you being in his house, and made his way out of the room.</p><p>Your gaze followed him and fell to his ass, checking him out without Carol, his wife noticing. <em>Well, that explains that.</em></p><p>“So, I just wanted to say that we look forward to having you here as part of the family and again, I’m so thankful you were able to start so soon!” Carol said excitedly.</p><p>“Of course, Mrs. York! Thank you so much for this opportunity, and I hope that you have a good time on your work trip!” you said with a smile.</p><p>
  <em>I am so fucked. Completely and irrevocably fucked.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Nanny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave and Reader realize that they’re going to be seeing a LOT of each other now that it’s come to light that Reader is their family nanny. Uh ohhhhh.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, slow burn, no smut this chapter but mentions of sexual situations, 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave was so screwed. Carol was going on a work trip and he was going to be stuck at home with you the entire time. All he could think about was fulfilling all the fantasies he had about you from the night you both met. Taking you over the kitchen counter. On the couch in the living room. Over his desk in his office. And of course, in his own bed, the same one he shared with his wife. <em>Fuck, I need to stop. She’s my nanny for fuck’s sake!</em></p><p>“Honey, I’m about to head out, and the nanny should be back from dropping off the girls at school in a bit,” he heard from downstairs. Dave sighed. His marriage wasn’t very happy, but it was a huge risk for him to sleep with the nanny while under the same roof as his wife. But your smell and the feel of your walls clenched around him was just -</p><p>“Stop,” he told himself. He shook his head trying to get those thoughts out of his head to no avail. Dave sighed again and got up from his desk, making his way out of his office and into the kitchen to bid Carol goodbye. He came up beside her and poured himself a cup of coffee.</p><p>“How long is your trip again?” Dave asked, already knowing the answer, but asking nonetheless.</p><p>“Two weeks, but might be more than that, depending on things,” Carol replied. Dave nodded, already formulating some plans in his head on how to fill his time and avoid his nanny.</p><p>“Ok, well let me know if anything changes. I have a bunch of work to do so I have to head back upstairs. Have a safe trip,” Dave said, kissing Carol on the cheek and making his way back up to his office to hide out.</p><p>“I love you,” Carol called after him.</p><p>“You too,” he replied as he made his way up the stairs.</p><p>
  <em>This is going to be a long couple of weeks.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Your morning was spent inwardly panicking while trying to get the girls out the door and to school. After finding out that the mysterious sexy stranger who’d given you the best sex of your life was none other than your employer, more importantly, your employer’s <b>husband</b> you weren’t sure how to feel. That first night after finding out who you were working for you laid in her bed looking up at the ceiling, wondering how fucked up the universe was for doing this to you. <em>Of course, I’d hook up with such a hot guy and have some of the best sex ever and it turns out that HE IS MARRIED.</em> <em>Why do you hate me, universe?!</em> The second and third nights were spent much of the same, just counting down the days until you’d have to start working for them and living in their home. On the fourth night of no sleep, you were contemplating what you were going to do about the situation.</p><p>“Fuck, and his wife is going to be gone for a few weeks!” you groaned out while rolling over and looking at your phone. 4:43 AM blinked back at you and you groaned again. “I hate this. Maybe I should just quit….Ugh, but the money,” you tried to reason with yourself. You sighed and got out of bed. Since you couldn’t sleep you might as well get up and get ready for the day, especially since today was the day you were officially starting as the York’s nanny. You cracked your back as you got up and padded your way to your bathroom, looking at yourself in the mirror.</p><p>“Girl, you got this. Just pretend that it never happened,” you told yourself. <em>Who am I kidding, I can’t even look him in the eyes without getting all nervous.</em> You shed your clothes and started the shower, turning the heat up to the hottest setting. You’d slept with a married man, might as well get ready to go to Hell.</p><hr/><p>
  <b>-THREE HOURS LATER-</b>
</p><p>You made your way to the York household dressed a modestly as you could. <em>As if I need do, he’s already seen me naked and at his mercy</em>, you thought as you made your way up the steps to their front door and rang it. You were greeted by Carol and she smiled as she saw you.</p><p>“Oh, you’re early! I wasn’t expecting you until 8:30!” Carol said as she opened the door to let you in.</p><p>“Heh, yeah, it’s a bad habit of mine, always being at least 30 minutes early to anything,” you replied.</p><p>“Oh, nonsense,” Carol replied, “Dave is the same way. He always has to be at least 20 minutes early, even if it’s just to the movies.” You tried not to let the statement affect you as you thought of other things that you and Dave might be similar in. Like sleeping with a random stranger at a bar. <em>Snap out of it!</em> You chastised yourself. You followed Carol into the kitchen where Molly and Alice were sitting, finishing up their breakfast, and greeted them warmly.</p><p>“Hi!” Alice greeted while Molly simply waved, her mouth full of cereal.</p><p>“Oh, sweetie, before I forget here’s the keys to the house and the code for the alarm, and all the contact information you’ll need. Your room upstairs is ready for you to move into when you’re back from dropping the girls off,” Carol said as she handed you a manila envelope. You gingerly took it from her and smiled.</p><p>“Thank you,” you said. “Do you need me to do anything around the house while the girls are at school?”</p><p>“Not really, we took care of most of the things this weekend, you just make yourself at home and if you have any questions Dave should be upstairs in his office,” Carol replied. Your heart skipped a beat. <em>Fuck, he’s here right now?! Doesn’t he have a job that he has to leave his house for or something?!</em></p><p>“Oh, ok. Sounds good! I actually brought a good amount of my stuff over from my house but I may need to stop by and get a few more things,” you said.</p><p>“Nonsense,” Carol replied. “Here’s a card for you to get anything you need for the room, and don’t worry about spending too much, you’re a part of this family now and you’re going to have your hands full taking care of the girls while I’m gone.” Your eyes nearly fell out of your head. <em>Are you fucking kidding me?!</em></p><p>“Oh my gosh, Carol, this is too much! You’re already paying me more than enough,” you pleaded.</p><p>“Don’t even worry about it. Between Dave and I, mostly Dave, we make more than enough that we won’t even notice. Besides, as I said, you’re going to have your hands full,” Carol replied. You merely nodded your head and looked down at the black card in your hands. <em>This has to be some weird fucked up dream.</em> The metal felt heavy in your hands and you turned it over several times while eyeballing the gold lettering of your name on the front. Never in your wildest dreams had you thought you’d ever hold a black card, let alone have one with your name on it.</p><p>“Thank you, Carol. This is seriously too much but thank you,” you said gratefully. She smiled at you and nodded.</p><p>“Of course, sweetie. I should be leaving a bit before you get back from dropping off the girls, so I won’t see you, but have fun! Girls, behave for her and your father,” Carol said as she handed the girls their lunches.</p><p>“We will, mom,” both girls replied as they got up and got their backpacks. You straightened up and smiled at Carol one more time before making your way out the door to drop off the girls at school. The girls followed closely behind you and gave their mom kisses before getting into the car.</p><p>“Have a safe trip, Carol,” you said as you and the girls waved and you pulled out of the driveway. “Alright, girls, let’s get you both to school!” The girls cheered as you put on some music for the short drive to their school. <em>I really hope that Dave isn’t home when I get back.</em> You thought as you spied his car in the driveway next to Carol’s.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Struggle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave and Reader struggle with their situation.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, slow burn, masturbation, voyeurism, 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave was on edge. He was never on edge. For someone with his expertise and skill set, he should not be feeling this way at all, yet here he was. He’d heard Carol leave the house ten minutes ago and now he waited until you arrived from dropping off the girls. Dave still wasn’t sure how to handle you being the nanny.  <em>Do I ignore her? Do I pretend it never happened? </em>He thought to himself. The idea of you being accessible 24/7 to him was too much temptation. The first time he strayed in his marriage and the universe had to play some sick perverse joke on him by making you their nanny. <em>Fuck. </em>He wanted you again. And again. And again. Over and over. Until you were a quivering mess beneath him.</p><p>He felt himself grow hard at the thought of you. He checked his phone for your location (he’d planted a tracker on all the cars and phones to keep tabs not only on Carol but now you as well) and saw that you were still quite a distance away. It looked like you’d stopped at your apartment after dropping off the girls and wouldn’t be back for a little while so he had time to blow off some steam before potentially facing you. He did feel slightly bad having the boys plant a tracker on your car and phone, but in his line of work, he couldn’t be too careful. From the moment he’d found out who you were he’d pulled every piece of information on you that could be found. He was surprised to see that you’d graduated with a Master’s Degree in Computer Sciences by the age of 24, having graduated high school at the age of 16. <em>Smart girl, though why she’s a nanny at the age of 28 is a little odd. Oh well. My gain at least</em>. Dave thought to himself as he thought of how much you’d impressed him. From your wit to the way you carried yourself Dave found himself slowly getting lost with thoughts of you. He palmed his bulge through his trousers. He thought of your intoxicating scent; the subtle mix of vanilla and lavender, with a hint of cinnamon. The sounds you made when he bit your neck, throwing your head back in ecstasy. He recalled the way your body felt against him. Soft and oh so warm and tender. How you quivered with each touch and breath. How your walls clenched tightly onto him while he pounded into you from behind, feeling every muscle twitch and pulse. The sound of your pants and moans as his finger played with your clit and nipples.</p><p>Dave found himself unzipping his pants and pulling out his hard cock. <em>Fuck, just the thought of her gets me going. I feel like such a teenager,</em> Dave thought to himself as he began to pump his hardened length thinking of how warm your mouth felt around his cock. He thought of the way you swirled your tongue so slowly the first few times and how close he was to cumming in your mouth right then and there. Feeling his balls tighten he picked up the pace and pumped himself faster. He thought of how soaked you’d gotten for him, and how you called him Daddy. Dave grew closer and closer to the edge and was just about to find his release when he heard the front door open. <em>FUCK!</em> Dave stopped his motions and hastily grabbed his phone. He looked at your location and found that you had indeed returned to the house and he’d been so distracted he didn’t realize that almost an hour had passed. He looked down at his throbbing cock and groaned. You were so close yet so far away.</p><p>Caution and all thought went out the window as he pulled up the security camera feed for the house. He watched you make your way to the bedroom they’d set up for you with several duffel bags and put them on the bed, gazing around the room. He admired your outfit, seeing the effort you’d put in to look as modest as possible, even though you were beautiful without even trying. He admired the curve of your ass in the tight-fitting jeans you wore and the swell of your breasts in the loose-fitting blouse you sported. Dave groaned as you bent over to unzip a duffel bag and began to touch himself again. Wrapping his hand around his cock he gently squeezed, imagining it was you wrapped around his length. He imagined himself bending you over the bed as you tried to keep quiet as he plowed himself into you. Imagining the sound of your moans, unrestricted, while he squeezed the sides of your neck and kissed you. Dave’s pace increased some more as he thought such crude thoughts while watching you on the cameras, and he felt himself grow closer to the precipice of release.</p><p>“Oh fuck. Ohhhh fuck,” Dave moaned out, throwing his head back in ecstasy as he stilled his movements and hot beads of cum spurted out and onto his hand and torso. <em>Fuck, I need to change my shirt now.</em> He thought as he looked at the mess he’d made. He shook his head in disbelief. Had he really resorted to jerking himself off to the images of you like some teenage boy? Something he didn’t even do to the thought of his wife? Apparently yes. Dave got some tissues off his desk and wiped himself off as he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. He tucked his now softened cock back into his pants and got up, making his way to the door of his office to get a new shirt.</p><hr/><p>You were not prepared for today at all. After dropping off Molly and Alice at school your mind decided it would go a thousand miles a minute and go into overdrive thinking about Dave York. The mere thought of him got your heart beating faster and you clenched your thighs. <em>Stop it!</em> You chastised yourself. <em>He’s married. Fuck. I shouldn’t have slept with him but I didn’t know at the time, but STILL. I CANNOT SLEEP WITH HIM AGAIN! Ugh! </em>You groaned at the situation. You were going to stop by your apartment to pick up a few more things, and maybe even pick up your vibrator and dildo, because at this point you’d need it to keep yourself in check. Sighing you drove towards your apartment.</p><p>“I fucking hate my life,” you said as you kicked your door shut behind you as you stepped in and eyed your apartment. Since you’d be bunking at the York’s on weekdays and most weekends you had decided to take at least a week or two worth of clothes over and made a mental note to make sure to come back to your apartment on the free weekends, just to get away. You shook your head as you pulled open the drawer under your bed and looked at the various toys you had. You felt yourself get wet thinking of using these toys while under the same roof as Dave or even having him use them on you. <em>SNAP OUT OF IT DAMMIT! </em>You really needed to get ahold of yourself. You were only bringing the toys justtttttt in case you needed to get off and nobody else was home. Yeah, you’d make sure nobody else was home first before deciding to flick the bean….To the thought of your boss. <em>Dammit</em>.</p><p>“Fuck,” you whispered to yourself as you grabbed a thick pink vibrator and an even thicker and longer flesh-colored dildo. Rummaging further into your drawer you decided to also grab your magic wand and your anal plug. You threw those into the bag of other things you’d decided to bring and made your way out of your apartment and back to the York residence. <em>Time to get settled into my new part-time home, </em>you thought. <em>Hopefully, Dave isn’t home. I don’t think I’m ready to face him just yet.</em> You quickly drove to their home and parked in the driveway, wearily eyeing the other car in the driveway, signaling that Dave was indeed still home.</p><p>“Goddammit,” you cursed as you got out of the car and grabbed your bags. You unlocked the door with your new keys and made your way up to your room, which happened to be down the hall from the master but just one door down from Dave’s office. Carol’s tour of the house the day you came over really came in handy now especially since you were alone and you really didn’t want to face Dave just yet. You walked into the room and set your bags on the bed and looked around. It was a very large room, with a king-size bed in the middle and a desk in the corner. To the right, you saw one door leading into the bathroom and another door leading into your walk-in closet that was also attached to the bathroom. If the black card wasn’t evidence enough, it was clear that the Yorks both made mad amounts of money to be able to afford their lifestyle. <em>I wonder what Dave does for a living since Carol mentioned he makes most of the money and I don’t think Carol makes enough to afford a black card being an editor for a publisher,</em> you wondered, as you bent down to open your duffle bags and start unpacking.</p><p>After a few minutes, you decided to get a glass of water before going to get your two other duffle bags out of your car. As you were exiting the bedroom you turned and ran into something hard.</p><p>“Oof,” you said as you looked up to meet a pair of intense brown eyes gazing down at you, an eyebrow quirked up. “Mr. York, I…uh…I didn’t know you’d be home. Uh. Carol told me that you’d probably be home but uh, I didn’t think that I’d, um, run into you…” you trailed off. Dave gazed down at you in silence and took hold of your shoulders firmly. You felt yourself grow wet with want. <em>Fuck fuck fuck.</em></p><p>“I thought I told you to call me Dave, and it’s ok, I’m just going into the bedroom to get a clean shirt, and then I have to get finish up some paperwork,” Dave said coolly, as he shifted you to the side so he could walk by. Your breath hitched at the sound of his voice and you took notice of the button down in his hands as well as the plain white shirt that he wore. You couldn’t bring yourself to say anything as he walked past you and went into the bedroom. You sighed as you watched him and shook your head. You quickly walked down the stairs into the kitchen and got yourself a glass of water to quench your thirst, and hopefully the thoughts of your boss being in the other room changing shirts, stripping himself bare as he changed. <em>Stop it.</em> You chastised yourself. You finished up the glass and went outside to grab the last of your stuff, hurriedly making your way back into your room right after.</p><hr/><p>His heart was pounding. Seeing you again and being so close to you was intoxicating. He wasn’t expecting you to run right into his chest, giving him a whiff of your scent. The doe-eyed look in your eyes made him almost through his resolve out the window and take you right there in the hallway. Almost. He’d composed himself and steeled away his invasive thoughts as he moved you out of the way and nonchalantly told you to call him Dave and that he was going to go change his shirt. He could feel your eyes watching him as he made his way into his bedroom and he’d half hoped that you’d say something but knew that the shock of seeing him so soon was what held you back. He chuckled to himself. <em>Such a nervous little thing,</em> he thought to himself as he went into his walk-in closet and pulled out another shirt and threw his dirty one in the hamper. He really needed to get a grip on himself, especially since you were under the same roof as him. He pulled out his phone as he watched you make your way to your car and get the rest of your bags and hastily make your way back into the bedroom, thinking that you were hiding away from him. Little did you know that he had eyes on you even when he wasn’t physically there. His eyes bugged out of his head as he watched you open up a duffle bag and pull out a thick long pink vibrator and an equally long dildo. He nearly choked when he saw you pull out your wand and an anal plug and place them into the nightstand drawer next to your bed.</p><p>“Oh, you dirty girl,” he chuckled. He watched as you finished putting away all your clothes and toiletries and then go and lay in the middle of the bed and close your eyes. He felt so dirty and perverted for watching you go about your business, none the wiser to the hidden cameras throughout the house, but at least you were only just laying there - wait, nope, not anymore. He groaned out as he saw you slip your hand down into your pants and moan.</p><p>“Fuck,” he whispered, as you stopped your motions and pulled your pants off, exposing your sweet wet pussy. He felt himself grow hard, again and sighed. <em>I really can’t catch a break, can I?</em> You resumed your previous actions, running your hand down your torso and drawing small circles on your thighs before you slipped two fingers into your cunt. He watched entranced with your movements and palmed himself through his pants, wishing that he were at the foot of the bed watching you right now. Oh, the things he’d make you do to yourself, especially with the toys that you brought with you. He squeezed his phone as you moved and took out the vibrator from the drawer and brought it to your clit, watching as you threw your head back in a moan, but biting your lip to quiet yourself.</p><p>“Fuck, baby girl, keep going,” he urged you through the screen as you pumped your fingers into your leaking pussy and then replaced it with the vibrator. He groaned and bit his lip as you brought yourself closer to the edge, and it took all his willpower not to just barge in and take what he wanted. <em>No, I’ll just have to toy with her a little bit,</em> he thought to himself with a smirk. Dave shut off his phone and took a deep breath. He needed to see how far he could push you before you’d give in to him. All thoughts of controlling himself when it came to you went out the door when he saw you spread out on the bed playing with yourself. In his own house. With him just rooms away.</p><p>“Such a dirty fucking girl,” he breathed out as he got up and adjusted himself in his pants. He made his way out of the bedroom and down the hall and stood outside your door. He pulled his phone out once again and opened it to see you were still getting yourself off, only now you were rubbing your clit while pumping the vibrator into you. He decided to see what you’d do and knocked on the door. He smirked to himself when he saw you pause your movements, eyes wide with fear. He watched as you bit your lip and kept going, probably thinking that you were hearing things. He was going to love this.</p><p>“Hey, are you in there?” He called out and knocked again. You stilled your movements and let out a little moan.</p><p>“…Ye…Yes, Dave, give me a second!” you replied out of breath as you started up again. He watched as you pumped the toy faster into your cunt and rubbed your clit even harder.</p><p>“No problem, I was just letting you know that I was going to be in my office if you needed me,” he replied. He watched on his phone as you bit back another moan and contorted your face into that of pleasure as you clearly reached your orgasm.</p><p>“Oh, ok!” you replied once you’d come down from your high, taking a moment to recompose yourself. Dave chuckled to himself as he made his way back to his office and shut the door, proud of himself for making you so nervous but also very turned on at the fact that you’d continued touching yourself while he was just on the other side of the door.</p><p>“Such a goddamn dirty girl,” he said to himself as he set about doing some boring paperwork to try and distract himself from the fact that you were probably still touching yourself. <em>This was going to be a very long day.</em></p><hr/><p>You groaned as you sat up, having put your toys away and gotten pants on. <em>Dammit dammit dammit</em>, you thought as you got up and went to the bathroom. You’d promised yourself you wouldn’t do anything rash like that unless you were home alone yet the run-in with Dave had thrown all caution into the wind. You couldn’t help but think about how hot it would’ve been if he’d walked into your room after knocking, seeing you spread out dripping at the thought of him. You shook your head and splashed some cold water on your face.</p><p>“Get a hold of yourself! He’s still a fucking married man,” you reminded yourself, annoyed at the fact that at that moment in time you really didn’t give a shit. You wanted Dave, you wanted him bad, and you were damn sure that you’d be going to hell for it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some things come to light about Reader’s past and Dave is a tease.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, slow burn, graphic descriptions of sexual acts but no sex (yet!), 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A week. That’s how long you’d had been avoiding Dave at all costs. You made damn sure not to be caught alone with him whenever possible, always having one of the girls there, or being out of the house running errands while the girls were at school. As far as you could tell Dave was avoiding you too. Which you’d admit hurt your pride a little bit but hey, he was married so you really had no right to be upset. You’d tried to get your mind off him as much as you could by working on things around the house or helping the girls out with homework, but you could only do that so much before boredom overtook you. Whenever you weren’t busy with the girls or doing errands you often hung out in your room on your phone or laptop, just scrolling through social media. You’d done your nails several times this week already and had perfected the art of folding your towels 5 different ways and rearranging your bedroom. Yeah, you weren’t going a little stir crazy at all. Carol was due back from her trip in a week and you’d hoped to avoid Dave the rest of the time until then, but fate had other ideas.</p><p>It started like any other day, you’d gone to drop off the girls at school and then hid away in your room. Two hours passed before you heard a peep from around the house, and it came in the form of a knock on your door. Your heart stopped; your breath hitched.</p><p>“Yes?” You called out, nerves consuming you in anticipation.</p><p>“It’s Dave, mind if I come in?” Dave replied through the door. You looked down at your clothes, contemplating if you should change or not. All that preserved your modesty was a pair of yoga pants and a tight-fitting tank top. <em>Fuck</em>, you thought. You straightened yourself up and took a deep breath, putting a pillow on your lap under your laptop and took in a deep breath.</p><p>“Come in,” you stated, bracing yourself for his entry. Dave quickly opened the door, and it took everything in you to remain conscious. How would a man look so good in merely a dress shirt and trousers?! Dave made his way to you and sat on the foot of the bed while you scooted back a little bit more on the bed and propped yourself up against the headboard.</p><p>“What can I do for you today, Dave?” You inquired.</p><p>“I think you and I need to have a little chat,” Dave replied. You bit your lip. <em>Fuck, I do not like where this is going.</em></p><p>“What about? Is something wrong?” You replied nonchalantly.</p><p>“Yes. You’ve been avoiding me this last week, and I’d like to know why,” Dave stated, cutting right to the chase. <em>Fuck.</em></p><p>“Oh….Um….Well, you see….” You stammered out, not sure how to answer that without sounding like a complete idiot.</p><p>“I mean, I have a few guesses, but I wanted to hear it from you.” You sighed hearing his words. <em>Here goes nothing.</em></p><p>“Yeah…..I have sort of been avoiding you, and I’m so sorry if it came off as rude,” you began. “It’s just, I’m not really sure how to handle this situation.”</p><p>“What? The fact that you and I have fucked and now you’re my children’s nanny?” Dave blatantly asked. You bit the inside of your cheek at his words, but his words didn’t stop there.</p><p>“The fact that I’ve had you bent over, with my cock deep in your soaking wet pussy, letting a stranger fuck you in a public place?” You clenched your thighs at his words, the action not going unnoticed by Dave, as his eyes shifted down to your legs covered up by the pillow. You gulped and nodded,  eyes downcast.</p><p>“I see…..Well, I guess I can only assume that you wanted to pretend like that never happened. However,” Dave paused. You lifted your eyes and met his gaze. “What if I don’t want to go on as if nothing happened?” You felt the fire in your soul flare-up. Were you really hearing his words? Dave got up and moved until he was sitting right next to you on the bed, moving your laptop shut and setting both the pillow and the laptop down next to you.</p><p>“See, Princess, I kind of really liked how you felt around me. Feeling the tight walls of your pussy clench around me, milking me for every last drop.” The pet name made you bite your lip and fidget with your hands. You didn’t want to let his words affect you, but they were, and you felt yourself grow hot at the memories. You felt Dave place his hand under your chin and bring your face up to meet his stare. You hadn’t realized how close he was to you until that moment. Should either of you lean forward just the smallest amount your lip would meet. You inwardly shuddered at the thought. <em>DAMMIT NO!</em> You scolded yourself.</p><p>“Dave, you’re married!” You finally croaked out, snapping your head back so fast it almost hit the headboard. You watched wide-eyed as Dave threw his head back and laughed.</p><p>“That didn’t stop you before, baby girl,” he coolly replied. You felt your blood start to boil. He was married and yet here he was acting like he wasn’t.</p><p>“I didn’t know you were married that night,” you shot back, crossing your arms.</p><p>“No, but you know now, and I can tell that you still want me,” Dave smirked. <em>Damn him. </em>You shook your head, adamant to not fall under his spell, but your willpower was waning.  Dave leaned in close to your ear. “C’mon, sweet girl, you’re really going to resist, Daddy?”</p><p>“Dave….” you whined, your breath hitching feeling his own breath on your ear. Dave smiled and moved your face to capture your lips with his. Heat engulfed your bodies as you moaned into the kiss, grabbing onto his shirt and pulling him closer to you. Dave took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, slipping his tongue into your mouth and battling for dominance. You whined as you felt him bite your lip and then pull away, lips were swollen from the interaction.</p><p>“That’s what I thought,” Dave said, as he got up and walked out of the room, leaving you hot and bothered.</p><p>“Fuck!” You cursed out as you brought your fingers to your lips, feeling the ghost of his kiss. “I am so fucking screwed.”</p><hr/><p>Dave was annoyed, to say the least. You’d been avoiding him for the last week since your encounter in the hallway and he’d had enough of it. He’d spent all week watching you on the cameras, watching as you touched yourself when nobody else was home, listening to your little whines and moans. He’d spent all week listening to you pant out his name, and he’d jerked himself off to the image of being there with you. He had begrudgingly given you space this last week and studied you. He wanted to know what made you tick and see if he’d be able to get away with the plans formulating in his mind. Carol was due back in a week and he damn well wanted to have you before his wife was back in town and his chance at more fun would fly out the window. Today he was going to take what he wanted and tease you, even if it ended up with him getting blue balls in the process. Dave had chosen today when he knew you’d be caught off guard, and boy was he glad he’d done that. Your little make-out session in your bedroom was just the beginning and he could tell that you’d eventually give in to him. He watched you on the security feed as you laid in bed, annoyed that he’d left so abruptly, and was pleasantly surprised when you picked up your phone to call your friend Melody. Dave got onto his computer and decided to tune in to your little conversation just to see what you two were chatting about.</p><p>“Hello?” Mel answered.</p><p>“Mel, I’m so fucked,” you started. He could hear Mel on the other end of the phone laugh at your words.</p><p>“What happened?” she implored.</p><p>“Dave…..He…UGH. He just needs to stop being so damn sexy!” you proclaimed. Dave smirked at your antics while Mel laughed.</p><p>“I mean, he looked fine as hell when you met him, you can’t just turn that kind of sex appeal off,” she replied. You groaned and he watched on the screen as you slapped your forehead.</p><p>“I know! It’s so bad because I just want to jump his bones. Like ALL THE TIME,” you said exasperatedly. “And I hate that he’s married, Mel. It’s so fucked. I don’t know how things in their marriage are like but Carol seems like such a nice woman.” Dave’s ears perked up at the mention of his wife. <em>I wonder where this is going to go.</em> He thought as he heard you sigh into the phone.</p><p>“I know. It’s pretty fucked that he slept with you that night at the bar, but at the same time, that wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know,” she consoled. “For all you know they might have like an open marriage or some shit like that.”</p><p>“Yeah, who the fuck knows man. But uh you should probably know something….” You trailed off.</p><p>“Did you sleep with him?!” Mel exclaimed through the phone, both sounding concerned but also excited. “Girl, you know I wouldn’t judge you if you did, ‘cause hot damn I’d love to be in your situation with a hot boss and all, but the whole Carol thing is just weird.”</p><p>“No no, I didn’t sleep with him, but damn do I want to,” you replied with a laugh. “No, he just came into my room a bit ago and fucking called me out on why I’d been avoiding him. AND THEN THE MOTHERFUCKER KISSED ME!!!” Dave could hear Mel gasp through the phone and then burst into laughter.</p><p>“Oh man, what?!”</p><p>“Yeah! He came in all serious and then was like ‘Have you been avoiding me cuz we had sex?’ and he started fucking dirty talking, all like describing how it was when we were at the bar,” you continued.</p><p>“OH MY GOD. HOT DAMN GIRL! That’s some fucking Big Dick Energy if I ever,” Mel cackled. Dave shook his head. You girls were too much and he liked your friend.</p><p>“I KNOW! And then he like got all close to me and just - ugh! I even called him out about how he’s married and you know what he did? He fucking said that he knew I wanted him even after finding out he was married. It’s like he’s a goddamn spy or has eyes watching me or something!” Dave let out a chuckle at your words. Oh, if only you knew how close you were with that statement.</p><p>“Oh, man. That’s so hot,” Mel laughed.</p><p>“Yeah…But then the son of a bitch went and kissed me!” you said as you threw your head back with a groan. “And Mel, it was so fucking hot. Ugh. It seriously took everything not to just rip his clothes off.”</p><p>“Oh my god!”<br/>“I KNOW! And then the fucker had to be like ‘That’s what I thought’, all sexy-like, and then he walked out!” You cried as you flung yourself into your bed while Mel cackled even more over the phone.</p><p>“Hot diggity damn, girl. I say you march into his office or room or wherever he is and just take what you want. Better yet, tease the fucker back,” Mel suggested. You pondered her statement for a moment and grinned.</p><p>“Give him a taste of his own medicine? Fuck, I really should!”</p><p>“Do itttttttt,” Mel encouraged. “But you should just be careful. Like maybe a little teasing and stuff but until you figure out what’s going on with him and Carol, don’t cross that line, you know?”</p><p>“Yeah, good point. I don’t want to be a homewrecker but like fuck, he makes it so hard,” you whined.</p><p>“I know, chicka, I know. Who knows, maybe he’d leave your wife for you,” she joked. “Wouldn’t that be a twist!” Dave quirked an eyebrow at her words. <em>I mean fuck, I never had that thought before but the girls do love her and we have a lot of chemistry that not even Carol and I had when we first got together. </em>Dave thought to himself.</p><p>“Oh my god, Mel. Don’t say that! Dammit, I’m going to Hell,” you groaned out as you laughed.</p><p>“It’s ok, I’ll make sure to save you a seat!”<br/>“I feel like such a teenager right now though, dude. Like I don’t know how I’m going to survive.”</p><p>“Just take it one day at a time, but make sure to keep your head on straight. I’ll support you no matter what, you know that. If you want to pursue things with him and be happy, then go for it. Just make sure that you don’t get hurt in the long run, you know?” Mel said.</p><p>“I know, I really don’t want to have to deal with another heartbreak. Especially after what happened with Tom,” you breathed into the phone with a sigh. Dave felt a ping in his heart. He knew all about your situation with your ex-boyfriend Tom and how badly that had ended. He knew all about the abuse that you’d been through at the hands of that asshole and had seen the police reports and photos of your battered face. Thankfully Tom was rotting away in prison, but only after he almost killed you. Dave felt his blood boil at the thought of someone hurting you.</p><p>“It’s going to be alright, girly,” Mel consoled. “I don’t think Dave is like Tom at all, and Tom is rotting away after what he did to you.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know….I’m just scared,” you whispered into the phone. “Anyways, I have to take a shower and run a few errands in a bit, so I’ll let you go.”</p><p>“Ok. You be careful, ok? And just take care of yourself,” Mel said as you bid each other farewell and hung up. Dave watched you sit in bed for a moment and half contemplated going into the room and comforting you but thought better of it. <em>I’m getting a little in too deep with her. Shit.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Wife</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Things steam up between Reader and Dave, but there’s something amiss…</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, slow burn, *SMUT* (IT IS FINALLY HERE!), daddy kink, light spanking, oral (female receiving), fingering, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP PEOPLE!) cheating/infidelity, 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last three days had been a blur. Since your little encounter with Dave in your room and your phone call with Mel, you’d been on edge. Dave hadn’t helped at all with your predicament. The day after your little encounter he’d cornered you in the kitchen and kissed you with such passion that your head was spinning, and then he’d abruptly left right after! The day after that he’d come up behind you in the living room while you were cleaning up after the girls had gone to bed and he’d ground his erection against your ass while kissing your neck and kneading your breasts. That evening you got yourself off so fast that you felt like you might burst. Then yesterday Dave appeared in the laundry room while you were placing clothes in there and things had gotten very very steamy, to say the least.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><p>You were reaching down to pick up clothes from the hamper to place into the washing machine when you felt it. A presence behind you and then a warmth as a body was pressed firmly up against your ass. You bit your lip feeling Dave’s hands on your hips as he nestled his bulge between your ass cheeks and you slowly stood back up.</p><p>“How’s my baby girl doing today?” Dave breathed into your ear as he then nipped below it, sending a shiver down your spine. You turned to face him and met his lips in a fevered kiss. You slipped your arms around his neck as your tongues battled for dominance. You felt Dave’s hands grip your thighs and lift you slightly so you hopped up to sit on top of the washing machine. You felt Dave’s hands pull your legs apart as he moved to stand between them, continuing to kiss you sensually. You let out a moan and reached for the front of his pants, feeling the very prominent bulge there as you began to gently rub. Dave moved his right hand to the apex between your legs and cupped your heat. You broke the kiss to throw your head back at the contact.</p><p>“Da- ugh. Oh my god,” you choked out, feeling Dave shift your shorts to the side as he dipped a finger into your heat.</p><p>“What was that, baby girl?” Dave urged as he dipped a second finger into you. “You’re so soaked.”</p><p>“Dave, fuck. I need…..I need you,” you managed to whimper out, as he started to pump his fingers into you.</p><p>“Hmmmm is that my name, baby girl?” Dave smirked as he picked up the pace. “Is that how you ask?”</p><p>“Fuck,” you moaned out. “Daddy, please. Please, I need more.” Dave chuckled at the needy tone and picked up the pace, as he brought his left hand to rest behind your neck and bring your face to him as he kissed you. You whined out, feeling his thumb circle your clit and as he added a third finger inside you. The heat was growing stronger and stronger as you felt yourself grow close to your climax. Suddenly you felt Dave stop his movement and pull away. You pouted briefly until you saw him kneel on the ground and tug you until you were at the edge of the washer. Your face grew hot with anticipation as you watched him tug your shorts and thong down your legs, having you shift to get them down. Dave threw the discarded clothing over to the side, and then you closed your eyes, feeling yourself get even wetter with need and want. You parted your legs even more as you felt Dave shift closer and then you felt it. A little bite on the side of your right thigh and then again on the left thigh. You felt his tongue slither up your thigh before finally making contact with your clit. You threw your head back and moaned, gripping his head with your left hand, and steadying yourself with your right.</p><p>“Oh fuck!” you cried out, as he snaked his tongue into your heat, tasting your nectar. He briefly pulled away to insert two fingers into you and you bit your lip at the feeling of him scissoring his fingers inside you.</p><p>“You look so pretty for me, baby girl. Sitting here legs spread out, while I taste this sweet pussy,” Dave huskily said. “Fuck, just look at you taking my fingers.” You looked down and watched him pump his fingers into you as he did the same, fascinated with how well you took his thick digits. You moaned out loudly as you watched him lean forward and suck your clit into his mouth.</p><p>“Oh my god, yes. Daddy, yes! Please don’t stop,” you exclaimed, as he sucked harder on your clit and drove his fingers into you at a brutal pace. Within moments you felt yourself hit your peak and you screamed out his name, quivering as he continued his assault on your clit and pussy. You leaned back against the washing machine as you felt Dave stop and stand up, licking his fingers with pride.</p><p>“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me, baby girl. So why try and fight it?” Dave said, as he pecked your lips, turned around, and strutted out of the room, leaving you blissed and spread out over the washing machine.</p><p>“Fuck,” you breathed out as you came down from your high and watched him retreat into his office. You were not expecting him to do that at all.</p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Yesterday had had your head spinning; that much was certain. Dave had ambushed you and you’d loved every second of it, but now it was time to turn the tables on him. Taking Mel’s advice you’d started dressing a little less modest and showed off your figure. It started with wearing shorts yesterday but today you stepped it up and wore tight-fitting jeans paired with a low cut tank top. You hadn’t seen Dave at all today, and his car wasn’t in the driveway so you guessed he’d had to run out for a little while. You’d picked up the girls from school a few hours ago and had finished making dinner as you heard him walk through the front door.</p><p>“Dad!” You heard Molly and Alice shout as they ran to hug their father. You watched the scene unfold with envy. You’d always dreamed to have kids someday, but who knows when that’d happen. You shook those thoughts out of your head as you walked over to the kitchen to get dinner into the dining room.</p><p>“Girls, could you set the table please?” you called over your shoulder.</p><p>“Ok!” They both replied and ran into the kitchen to get plates. Dave followed in behind them and you watched as he walked over and sat down at the table with a sigh. He looked tired.</p><p>“I hope you’re hungry!” You excitedly said as you brought in the steaming spaghetti to the dining table and bend slightly down to set it on the table. You watched at Dave’s eyes zeroed in on your cleavage and then shift to meet your gaze. You gave him a wink as you sat down across from him and began to serve the girls. It all felt so domestic, but you knew that this was a pipe dream.</p><hr/><p>Dave was indeed exhausted. He’d gone into the agency that day to follow up on your ex, Tom. He’d had Resnik keep an eye on things just in case there was a change, and sure enough, there was. It turns out your ex had been released from jail within the last few days after having served only three years. <em>Good behavior</em>, Dave had scoffed to himself as Resnik had relayed that information to him. He knew a guy like Tom wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted, and he wanted you. Dave couldn’t risk you getting hurt. After all, you’d made his life so much more interesting and he wasn’t about to let some low life take that away from him. No, he’d keep an eye on Tom and see what the bastard did. On his way back home, Dave had decided to give Carol a call to check in with her, knowing full well that he really didn’t give a shit about what she had to say anymore. Not after what he’d found out from Ari.</p><p>“Hi honey,” Carol greeted out of breath on the phone. “What’s up?”</p><p>“Hey, I was just wondering how your trip was going,” Dave nonchalantly said, not giving away his annoyance at her voice.</p><p>“Oh, it’s going good! I was actually going to call you and the girls later tonight and let you know that it’s going to be extended for another two weeks,” Carol replied sadly. Dave rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Oh, that’s too bad, I know they were looking forward to you coming home in a few days,” Dave said. Carol sighed.</p><p>“I know, but work has me running around right now,” she responded. “I have to go, I’m in the middle of something right now, but give the girls my love.” Dave listened as Carol hung up the phone.</p><p>“Fucking bitch,” he mumbled under his breath as he pulled into the driveway. He knew the girls were home with you and not asleep yet but damn did he need to let off some steam.</p><p>During dinner, things were a little tense. Dave kept glancing at you and eyeing your cleavage and he was having a hard time controlling his body’s reaction to you. Once you’d gotten the girls to bed he was going to have to pull you aside to help him out with his big problem.</p><p>“Oh, Dave, Carol texted saying she wanted you to call her with the girls in a bit,” you stated. Dave’s head shot up from his dinner and he looked at the girls.</p><p>“No time like the present, right?” he asked, as he pulled his phone out and called Carol on speaker.</p><p>“Hi, mommy!” Alice and Molly greeted.</p><p>“Hi, my babies! How are you guys?” Carol replied</p><p>“Good, we can’t wait until you come home, we miss you,” Alice replied. Dave glanced over at you as you were looking down at your phone texting.</p><p>“I miss you too, girls, but listen. Some stuff came up and I won’t be coming home for a little longer. Work got extended so I’m going to be gone for another two weeks,” Carol replied. Molly’s face dropped.</p><p>“Oh,” she said. Alice looked ready to cry and Dave watched as you got up from your seat and came over to hug her.</p><p>“It’s ok, Carol, things happen. We’ll be ok, right girls?” You asked, as Molly came up and hugged you.</p><p>“Yeah,” Molly whispered.</p><p>“I’m sorry, girls. I really miss you guys but mommy will be home before you know it!” Carol said. Dave internally rolled his eyes and he watched as his daughters tried not to cry. “Anyway, I just wanted to call and wish you guys a good night and let you know.”</p><p>“Ok, mommy. We love you,” Alice said before Dave took the phone and pressed end. He wasn’t happy about the fact that Carol had just let their daughters down, but he would be there for them, and they also had you, so he wasn’t worried.</p><p>“Hey, do you mind putting them to bed and I’ll get this cleaned up? It’s been a long day,” Dave said and you looked up and nodded.</p><p>“Let’s get you to bed, girls,” you said warmly as you ushered both dejected girls to their rooms. Dave was not happy with Carol right now, and after the news about your ex today he really needed to get you alone. Dave smirked to himself thinking about what he had in store for you tonight as he made his way to his office after cleaning up dinner. He needed to take care of some things first before he saw you tonight though. He sat at his desk and pulled open his laptop and pulled up the files that Ari had sent him. The first folder he opened was photos. Dave shook his head as he scrolled through photo after photo of Carol on her trip. Photos of Carol with her assistant on a very not work-related looking trip. Carol sitting at dinner with her hand on her assistant’s lap. Them laying together next to the pool, looking too cuddly. Carol leaning up and kissing him while his hand was on her ass. The more photos Dave looked through the more graphic they became until he saw photos of Carol full-on fucking her assistant in their hotel room with the curtains open.</p><p>“Fucking slut couldn’t even close the goddamn curtains,” Dave said to himself. Dave felt anger rage in him as he looked at the evidence he now had. <em>No wonder Carol wanted a nanny so she could fuck off with her boy toy. </em>Dave opened up the next folder, this one titled emails, and began to read. If the photos weren’t damning enough he read countless emails between Carol and her assistant, Adrian, making plans to see each other and wrote explicitly about their time together. The emails dated back to almost two years! Dave felt himself grow angrier and angrier at the fact that Carol had been pursuing such a thing while he’d felt slightly bad that he’s strayed from his marriage to her. He was angry at the fact that he’d been busy taking care of their daughters while his wife went off and slept with her assistant. More than once.</p><p>“Fucking good for nothing bitch!” Dave shouted as he slammed his hand down on his desk. He was livid. All hints of remorse he felt at sleeping with you were out the window and he was done. Once Carol got back from her little trip he was going to have a little chat with her, but first, he needed to see you. Now. He pulled out his phone and sent you a quick text, asking you to come to his office, and then he waited. After a brief moment, he heard a small knock on the door and you poke your head in.</p><p>“Dave? You wanted to see me?” you asked as you saw him looking very perplexed standing at his desk.</p><p>“Yeah, come in and close the door,” he instructed sternly. He watched as you meekly walked in and shut the door firmly behind you.</p><p>“Come here,” he commanded and you made your way over and stood in front of him. Dave gave you a brief moment before he grabbed you by the back of your head and smashed his lips to yours. He made quick work of your pants, unbuttoning and dragging the zipper down before he stuck his hand down the front of your pants to feel how wet you were.</p><p>“So wet for me already, princess?” he cooed against your lips. You whimpered as he slipped two fingers quickly into your heat and withdrew them. He stuck his fingers into your mouth and watched as you licked them clean with a moan. He smirked at how needy you were for him tonight.</p><p>“Always, Dave. Only for you, Daddy,” you whispered as you cupped his erection through his pants. Dave had so many ideas for tonight but after his revelation, he was everything but patient. He turned you around and bent you over his desk as he pulled your pants and underwear down. You shivered feeling his cold hands on your ass and then felt a <b>SLAP</b>. He watched as you moaned and wiggled your ass at him, wanting more. He spanked your ass again and felt his cock twitch in his pants. He plunged three fingers into you and drive them in and out swiftly as he made quick work of his own pants. He pulled his length out with his free hand and pumped himself before lining himself up with your dripping entrance.</p><p>“You ready for Daddy, baby girl?” he gruffly asked. You pushed back against him and moaned.</p><p>“Yes, Daddy. Please!” You begged, like a bitch in heat. Dave took no time in thrusting deep into you in one fluid motion. He groaned feeling your walls clenched around his hard cock, squeezing him tight. He stood there for just a moment, savoring the feeling of your slick heat engulfing him before he began to move. He pulled out of you slowly and then plunged in quickly, listening to you cry out in pleasure. He cupped his hand against your mouth and bit your shoulder.</p><p>“Baby girl, you gotta be quiet so we don’t wake the girls up,” he said as he plowed into you again and again. You nodded your head and bit back a moan as you felt his cock twitch inside you. Dave continued his assault on your pussy but decided he wanted to see you from a different angle. He pulled out and flipped you over, your back hitting the desk with a thud, before he filled you once again. He watched as your face contorted into pleasure and your eyes rolled to the back of your head. Dave watched your cleavage bouncing with each thrust and decided to free them, so he grabbed the top of your tank top and ripped. You watched in disbelief as the material parted easily under his grip and exposed your breasts to his gaze. Dave took the chance to pull your bra cups down and engulf a nipple in his mouth as he pinched and fondled the other one. You threw your head back with the sensation of his tongue swirling itself around your nipple and you moaned and grasped his head, keeping it firmly there. Dave smirked against your breast and gently bit your nipple, eliciting a loud moan from you. His thrusts got faster as he felt himself growing closer and closer, and he wasted no time in releasing your nipple to begin rubbing your clit in time with his thrusts.</p><p>“Oh fuck! Oh fuck. Oh, Dave, I’m gonna come,” you whimpered out. Dave kept up his actions and he felt you shatter around him. He felt the walls of your cunt constrict around his cock and it triggered his own climax. He groaned out as he spilled his seed inside of you and felt some of it drip out. As he pulled out of you he watched as some of your combined juices oozed out of your cunt and down your leg. He took the opportunity to take his phone out and snap a quick photo and groaned at the sight of you. Fucked to oblivion on his desk, just like he’d fantasied.</p><hr/><p>You laid there for a brief moment before opening your eyes and tilting your head up to look at him.</p><p>“So what was the real reason you called me in here?” you inquired, quirking an eyebrow up at him. You knew that something was wrong the moment Dave texted you. If he wanted something from you he’d have just come into your room. Something was up. Dave said nothing as he merely logged into his computer and turned the monitor to face you. Your eyes widened at the sight of Carol in such compromising positions with someone who most definitely wasn’t Dave, and judging from the looks of it, it was pretty recent.</p><p>“Is this?….Dave?…What’s going on?” You asked, concerned at his stoned silence.</p><p>“Carol can’t come home for another two weeks because she’s too busy fucking her assistant, Adrian,” Dave bitterly spat out. The heartache you felt for Dave was immense. You were beating yourself up for your little affair with Dave from the last couple of weeks when his wife had been having an affair for years.</p><p>“Wow. I….I don’t know what to say, Dave. I am so sorry,” you replied, sitting up to bring your hand to his face. Dave shrugged.</p><p>“It is what it is. I don’t care about the affair. I care about the fact that she leaves her children here while she goes off and galivants around with that fucker,” Dave scoffed out as he shrugged. “Once she gets back, she and I are going to talk about this and figure out what’s going to happen. The girls need a mother, and she’d rather hire a nanny to be here for them instead of actually being their mother.”</p><p>“What are you going to do?” You asked.</p><p>“I’ll figure that out. One thing is certain, I’m not staying married to that lying cheating bitch!” You nodded your head and looked back at the photos. So this is why she wanted me to start right away,” you wondered out loud. Dave nodded.</p><p>“Guess so. I had my suspicions.”</p><p>“Yeah…..That’s just….Wow…Did you hire like a private investigator or something?” You asked him. Dave froze for a moment and pondered if he should tell you.</p><p>“You could say that,” he replied, as he turned off the computer, signaling he wanted an end to this topic. You got up and picked up your discarded clothes as you made your way to the door.</p><p>“I’ll be in my bedroom shortly,” Dave called out after you as you opened the door. You turned and looked at him puzzled. “I’m not done with you yet, Princess.” A shiver ran down your spine as you took in the meaning of his words. He wanted you to go to his bedroom. And wait for him. Dave was asking you to stay the night with him. Did he want to spend the night with you? Like actually fall asleep with you? So many thoughts ran through your head as he chuckled.</p><p>“Yes, baby girl, I want you to go and wait for me in my bed. And I expect you to be naked and waiting,” Dave instructed sternly. The heat between your legs began to rise again. You clenched your thighs together in anticipation as you nodded and made your way to his bedroom. You were in for a very very long night. Little did you know, things were only going to get more interesting from here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Ex</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An old flame reappears and some things start to come to light about Dave.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, *SMUT*, daddy kink, oral (male and female receiving), fingering, light choking, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP), cheating/infidelity, abuse, violence, forced abortion/miscarriage, MAJOR TRAUMA. 18+ only please!</p><p>Author’s Note: I’m putting a trigger warning for the second flashback. If you’d like to skip it you can, the end of the second flashback is the end of that scene.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since you and Dave had found out about Carol’s extramarital activities you both had jumped headfirst into whatever it was that this was. You’d spent nearly every night in his bed with him once the girls were asleep; not to mention your shared activities throughout the day while the girls were away. The first night you’d spent in Dave’s bed with phenomenal, to say the least.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><p>“Yes, baby girl, I want you to go and wait for me in my bed. And I expect you to be naked and waiting,” Dave instructed sternly. You’d clenched your thighs together in anticipation as you nodded and made your way to his bedroom. Once there you stripped all your clothes off and crawled up onto the bed and laid down, back against the headboard, and waited. You grew anxious at Dave took his sweet time coming in, so you began to touch yourself while you waited. You trailed your fingers down your torso and between your thighs, dipping them into your heat. You were slick with want for Dave, mixed with your combined juices from earlier. You began to pump your fingers into your soaked cunt and moaned out, leaning your head back against the wall.</p><p>“Now what do we have here?” you heard a voice, opening your eyes and smiling at Dave as you saw him with his pants already undone and his cock in his hand. “Did I say so start playing with yourself?” You gulped, shaking your head no as you took your fingers out. <em>Busted</em>.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Daddy,” you said innocently as you crawled over to the foot of the bed to grasp his hard cock in your hand and lick it. Dave threw his head back as he felt your tongue lap on the underside of his cock. Groaning as you fully enveloped him in your mouth with a slurp.</p><p>“Oh fuck, baby girl, you keep that up and you’ll be forgiven,” he managed to croak out as you worked your way up and down his length, taking his balls into your hand that wasn’t wrapped around his cock. You felt him stop you partway through and turn you around.</p><p>“Get on all fours for me, sweetheart,” Dave said, as he parted your legs. “Yeah, just like that. That’s a good girl.” His praises went straight to your pussy and you felt yourself leaking out onto the bed. Dave groaned as he watched a droplet of your juices drip out of you, and he took the opportunity to lunge forward and devour you. He uses two fingers to spread your lips apart so he can easily flick his tongue against your clit while his other hand is on your ass, holding you steady. You whimper with want at the feel of his tongue against your clit and then move down to your folds.</p><p>“Oh fuck, Daddy, please,” you whine out, rocking back against his tongue, as it dips into your folds. You hear Dave groan out at the taste of your combined juices from earlier in the evening and he laps at you more. He flattens his tongue as he licks from your entrance to your clit and then takes your clit into his mouth and sucks. You have to bury your face into the bed to stifle your moans as he assaults your pussy like a man starved. You feel your legs start to quiver as you grow closer to the brink. Dave takes the opportunity to plunge three fingers straight into your cunt and you feel him hit your g-spot. You explode with a loud moan of ecstasy, feeling your walls clench around his fingers and your cum drip out as he laps it all up.</p><p>“You taste so good, baby girl,” Dave praises, as he turns you over onto your back and brings his lips to meet yours. You taste yourself on his lips and moan as your tongue battles him for dominance. You feel him slide into your drenched pussy and wrap your legs around his waist, keeping him right where you wanted him.</p><p>“Ohhh Dave,” you moaned out. You felt him grip your neck as he lightly squeezed.</p><p>“What was that?” he said, licking up the side of your neck and biting your earlobe. “What’d you call me?”</p><p>“Ughh Daddy. I’m sorry. Daddy, please,” you begged in desperation as you felt Dave slide out of you slowly. Dave smirked against your skin as he bit down hard on your shoulder and slammed himself back into you with so much force that it made the headboard bang against the wall.</p><p>“So fucking tight and wet for me,” he said as he plowed himself into you with more fervor. “Such a good girl, taking my cock so fucking well.” The more Dave praised you the more soaked you got, and the more he pounded into you. You felt his thrusts start to get a little more off rhythm and suddenly felt him slam into you and shoot hot beads of his cum into your walls. This triggered your own orgasm and you felt yourself cry out as he covered your mouth with his in a passionate kiss.</p><p>“You’re not going to be sleeping tonight, baby girl,” Dave said as he started pumping into yet again, still hard as a rock. <em>Well, fuck me.</em></p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>The last week and a half had been pure bliss and you were not looking forward to Carol’s inevitable return in two days. The girls had been pretty sullen since finding out their mother would be gone longer, and you could tell that it was taking a toll on them. Two days ago Alice had even asked if you could just stay and be their new mom since she doubted that Carol would come home.</p><p>“Does this happen often?” you’d asked Alice on your way to drop them off for school that morning.</p><p>“Yeah, last time she was gone for three weeks,” Alice said with a sigh as she looked out the window.</p><p>“Oh wow,” you breathed out in disbelief. You thought that Carol didn’t make a habit of doing this, but you were proven wrong. Now you understood more about Dave’s anger at Carol. You understood how much more work Dave had to put in to fill the void that Carol left with their own daughters. Your thoughts were further soured when you thought about how Carol had only hired you for her to go on vacation with her assistant. <em>Fucking bitch, </em>you thought. You proceeded to drop off the girls and head to your apartment. You needed to water your plants and get more clothes. You hadn’t foreseen not going home for nearly a month, and especially hadn’t foreseen Dave ripping nearly half your wardrobe that you’d brought over the first day. He’d told you to just go out and buy more with the black card you’d gotten, but you told him that you felt dirty using money that Carol was giving you.</p><p>“Technically, I’m the one giving you the money,” he’d retorted back with a snort as he’d slid a finger into you three days ago in the living room while the girls were at school. Your heart raced thinking back to that day and how hot it had been to have sex in the backyard where the neighbors could’ve seen and heard. You shook your head with a smile as you neared your apartment and made your way inside. You gathered up some more of your belongings, making sure to grab extra underwear, before watering your orchids and succulents. Suddenly you heard a knock at the door. You grew uneasy because you weren’t expecting anyone, and your senses were swiftly on overdrive. You made your way to the door and looked through the peephole. Your unease grew as you saw a figure with their back turned to the door. You recognized that stance anywhere. Tom.</p><p>“Knock knock,” You heard him say. “I know you’re in there, baby.” Your throat grew tight with fear.</p><p>“Tom, what the fuck are you doing here?!” you managed to squeeze out, making sure to sound as tough as possible while nearly shaking on the other side of the door.</p><p>“I came back for you, babe. They let me out early on good behavior, can you believe that?” Tom taunted. “Now why don’t you be a good girl and open the door.” You looked at the locks and were relieved to see that they were indeed still secure, with the chain also locked in place. Tom knocked again, harder than before.</p><p>“Open the door right now,” he shouted, pounding his fist against it. You ran back to the kitchen and grabbed your phone, sending off a text to your friends Mel and Jesse.</p><p>
  <b>You: Guys, Tom is here.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Mel: Where?!</b>
</p><p>
  <b>You: Here outside my apartment! He said they let him out early for good behavior!</b>
</p><p>Your phone began to ring. Mel was calling you.</p><p>“Fuck dude, barricade the door and call 911,” she calmly said as you began to hyperventilate. <em>This was not happening.</em></p><p>“Listen to me! Call 911!” Mel shouted into the phone and you nodded.</p><p>“Ok, I’m calling them right now. Can you please drive this way?” You asked, panicking as your hands shook, trying to unlock your phone.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m already on the way and so is Jesse. Hang in there, sweetie,” Mel said as you ended the call. You quickly dialed 911 and waited.</p><p>“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher said into the phone. You struggled to breathe. “Hello? Is anyone there?”</p><p>“…H...Hello. Um…My ex-boyfriend is outside my apartment trying to get in,” you managed to say, tears forming in your eyes.</p><p>“Ma’am, are you in a safe place? We can dispatch someone out momentarily,” she said. You nodded, and then realized she couldn’t see you.</p><p>“Ye – yes, I’m hiding in my bedroom now,” you replied.</p><p>“Ok, good. Can you give me your address please and we’ll get a squad car out.” You rattled off your address to her and she replied saying that someone would be there in a few minutes.</p><p>“Please hurry,” you pleaded, as you could hear Tom pounding harder on the front door, and jiggle the knob. In your fear, you hit END on the call and you looked at the door in horror, listening to any sign that he may have left.</p><p>“FUCKING BITCH!!!! OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!” Tom shouted again, as the banging continued. You decided to shoot Dave a quick text to let him know why you weren’t back at the house yet.</p><p>
  <b>You: Dave, please help me. My ex is at my apartment.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dave: I’m on my way.</b>
</p><p>You gripped the phone tightly as you closed your eyes and tears dripped out. You were sure that he’d be locked up for a long time after what happened. More tears streamed down your face as you recalled the events of that fateful night.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><p>❗️<span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER WARNING❗️</span></p><p>“You whore, what the fuck is wrong with you?!” Tom shouted as he grabbed your arm forcefully. You knew a bruise would be there tomorrow.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Tom. I’m sorry,” you pleaded, tears running down your face as he slapped you.</p><p>“Sorry, isn’t good enough, goddammit! I told you I wanted dinner ready as soon as I got home! Not fifteen minutes after. Not fucking thirty minutes after!” he yelled over you. You recoiled in fear as Tom cocked his fist back to hit you again. Instead, he threw you onto the ground and proceeded to kick you in the stomach.</p><p>“No, Tom! Please stop!” you begged, trying to protect your middle. He kicked you again and you cried out.</p><p>“Shut the fuck up!” He yelled as he grabbed your hair and lifted your head.</p><p>“Please, Tom. Please stop. Don’t hurt the baby,” you implored. Tom stopped his actions and looked at you in anger.</p><p>“Are you fucking serious right now?!” he raged, rearing back as he slammed your head down onto the floor. “You got fucking knocked up, you whore!?” You cried even harder as you watched him walk away from you and into the kitchen.</p><p>“Please, Tom. You’re drunk, baby. Please. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” You watched as Tom came back into the kitchen and your body froze in fear at the glistening blade in his hand.</p><p>“You fucking bitch. I’m going to cut that baby right out of you,” Tom said, as he drew closer. You crawled backward away from him until your back hit the wall. <em>Oh god, please no.</em> You prayed as he crouched down in front of you and you cowered in fear.</p><p>“I’m so sick of your shit. Why I put up with you all this time, I have no idea,” Tom said as he spat into your face and gripped your head. You thought to fight back, claw at his arms, at his face, anything. But you were paralyzed with fear. You watched in slow motion as Tom plunged the blade into your body. You watched as blood began to pool around it and seep into your shirt.</p><p>“No,” you managed to breathe out before you lost consciousness.</p><p> You’d woken up at the hospital two weeks later, unsure of how you’d gotten there. You were convinced that Tom had killed you but here you were. Connected to all these machines that beeped and whirred. You sat up in bed and winced as you felt a pain in your abdomen. <em>The baby! </em>You looked down at your bandaged middle and instantly knew. Tom had killed your baby and almost killed you. You’d been discharged two days after you woke into your sister’s care and you felt like a shell of yourself. You’d almost died and had also lost your baby. The night Tom had tried to kill you, a neighbor had decided to call the cops and they’d arrived shortly after Tom had stabbed you. Tom was convicted for one count of attempted manslaughter, one count of fetal homicide, six counts of domestic violence, one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and two counts of aggravated assault. All counts of which should have put him away for life, but the judge pitied Tom and had only given him ten years. Thankfully, you’d moved to a different city and even state, and had put it all behind you.</p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>It turns out that Tom was resourceful and had clearly found you. With tears streaming down your face at the painful memories you looked down at your phone. Only three minutes had passed since you’d texted Dave and called the police, and there was no sign of either of them yet. You knew that it would take Dave about fifteen minutes to get from his house to your apartment, and you could only guess how long it would take the police. Tom’s constant banging on the door had you quaking, and you sent Dave another text.</p><p>
  <b>You: Please hurry.</b>
</p><hr/><p>As soon as you hadn’t been right after dropping off the girls at school Dave had checked your location on his phone. He saw that you were at your apartment and let out a sigh. Resnik had alerted him two days ago that Tom had left his home and was headed towards you. The bastard had been resourceful and pulled a piece of mail you’d sent your sister that had your address on it. Dave was angry, to say the least. Not only did he have to deal with Carol and her shit when she got home in a few days, but now he had to deal with your ex potentially being in town. Dave checked the cameras he’d planted in your apartment and clenched his jaw when he saw your ex was already in town. Standing outside your apartment door.</p><p>“Fuck!” he shouted as he got up and opened the bottom drawer of his desk. He pulled out a Glock and its magazine, inserting the magazine into the base and cocking the pistol. He then grabbed the suppressor and attached it to the muzzle. He tucked it into the waistband on the back of his pants and made his way out the door, shooting the boys a quick text to meet him at your apartment, but stay hidden. As Dave made his way to your apartment, he got your text and seethed. Tom was trying to break in and from the looks of the camera feed in your room, he was giving you quite a scare. Dave’s anger flared up as he watched the tears streaming down your face. <em>This bastard was going to pay. </em>Dave’s phone buzzed in his hand and he glanced down at it.</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: She called the cops a minute ago, they’re on the way.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dave: Stay out of sight but keep an eye on things. I should beat the cops there.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: Roger that.</b>
</p><p>Dave pressed the gas pedal down, speeding up to get to you sooner. Luckily, when you’d texted him, he was already on his way, so he wasn’t far. Dave pulled into the apartment complex and saw Tom at your doorstep howling to let him in. Dave swiftly got out of his SUV and put his hand on the back of his pants, ready to grab his gun should he need to. <em>Thank god people are at work at this time of day. I don’t have the patience to try and explain that one. </em>Dave thought<em>.</em></p><p>“Open this fucking door up, you stupid bitch!” Dave heard Tom yell as he kicked the door and jiggled the handle some more. Tom caught Dave’s movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over at Dave, sizing him up.</p><p>“What the fuck do you want?” Tom shouted, trying to make himself look intimidating.</p><p>“I want you to go,” Dave calmly said, his hand gripping the handle of the gun.</p><p>“Fuck you. Who do you think you are? Huh?” Tom yelled as he stepped towards Dave, pulling out a knife.</p><p>“That doesn’t concern you,” Dave said, as he drew his gun and aimed it at Tom. At the sight of the pistol, Tom halted his steps, weighing his options. <em>Never bring a knife to a gunfight</em>, Dave thought.</p><p>“Fuck this. Fuck you and this bitch,” Tom said as he spat towards Dave. “I’ll be back.” Tom began to walk backward and Dave watched as he got into a car and drove off, fuming. Dave lowered the gun and walked over to your door and knocked.</p><p>“Hello?” he said. He didn’t hear a sound from inside and opened up his phone to look at the feed. You were still cowering in your room. Dave decided to send you a text that he was outside and Tom was gone, and he watched through the phone screen as you read his text and buried your head in your knees and cried. Dave grabbed the spare key to your apartment and let himself in, making sure to lock the door behind him in case Tom decided to come back. He tucked his gun into the back of his pants again as he neared your room and heard your cries.</p><p>“Hey, it’s me. Dave,” he announced as he walked in. You looked up at him, eyes red and puffy, tears streaming down your face, and a little snot coming out of your left nostril. You cried harder as you got up and stumbled over to Dave, into his waiting arms as he shushed you and stroked your hair.</p><p>“Shhhh. He’s gone. I got rid of him,” he said into your hair, trying to calm you down. You held onto his shirt and cried some more. You slipped your arms around him and held onto him, and he breathed in your scent, not wanting to let go. Dave continued to stroke your hair as you began to calm down and your arms slipped from the middle of his back to the bottom and came in contact with the butt of the gun. You both froze as you looked up at him, fear evident in your eyes. <em>Fuck,</em> Dave thought.</p><p>“Dave,” you slowly said as you let go of him and took a step back. “Why do you have a gun?” There was a pregnant pause before you spoke again. “And how did you get into my apartment?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Truth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reader learns the truth about Dave, Carol returns home, and unexpected things happen.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, cheating/infidelity, 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave looked at you. You looked at Dave. There was a silence in the room that was stifling. You blinked, cocking your head to the side waiting for an answer, unsure of where this confidence came from. Dave stared at you, unsure of how to proceed. <em>Do I tell her the truth? Or lie?</em> Dave pondered. <em>Fuck, here goes nothing.</em></p><p>“I - uh. I used to work for the DIA,” Dave started, as he held his hands up to help keep you calm.</p><p>“What, like the CIA?” you countered with a scoff. Dave nodded.</p><p>“Kind of. DIA, Defense Intelligence Agency. We focused more on national level defense military stuff whereas the CIA was more on the intelligence and international stuff,” he explained. You looked at him bewildered.</p><p>“You’re telling me, that you’re like some kind of spy or assassin or something?” you asked sarcastically. Dave merely looked at you and nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, you could say that. But it’s a was. I used to work for them,” he clarified. “The government shut us down a few years back.”</p><p>“Used to? What do you do now?” you questioned. “If not for the government then who?”</p><p>“Whoever I want,” he retorted. “I do the same things I used to for God and country, kill names on a paper. Only now there’s just a price next to them.” You stared at him, completely speechless. The man that you’d been sleeping with, who you had slowly been growing feelings for, was really someone who killed people for a living?! <em>No no no no no. This can’t be happening, </em>you thought as you grew lightheaded. You lost your balance and had to sit down on the bed, while Dave took a step closer to you. You held your hand up to him.</p><p>“No. Just – just stay there. Please,” you said, as you tried to process everything. Dave. Your boss Dave. Dave who hours ago had you sprawled out on his bed as he plowed into you. Dave who just rescued you from your murderous ex. <em>Fuck, I sure know how to pick ‘em don’t I?</em> You scoffed to yourself as you held your shaking hands in front of you. You looked up to Dave with a stern look.</p><p>“After the shit, I went through I deserve an explanation,” you said firmly. “I watch your daughters; I deserve to know exactly what the FUCK I got myself into.” Dave nodded at your words and held his hand out.</p><p>“Fair enough, princess,” he said as you gazed at his hand still uneasy. All of a sudden, a knock was heard at your door again. <em>Fuck.</em> With a blink of an eye, Dave had whipped out his Glock again and aimed it at the door, as he placed his body between you and the doorway. He nodded as he looked at you, letting you know you could talk.</p><p>“Who is it?” You shouted.</p><p>“Hey, it’s Jesse! I’m outside with Mel, and the cops are here too,” you heard your friend Jesse say. You breathed a sigh of relief, as you touched Dave’s shoulder, indicating he could put down the weapon. He hid the gun again as he grabbed your hand in his left hand and your duffel bag in the other and pulled you through your apartment. You arrived at the front door and opened it, to be greeted by Mel and Jesse staring at you, with two policemen behind them.</p><p>“Uhm hey guys,” you said, trying to keep your cool.</p><p>“Oh my god! Thank goodness you’re okay!” Mel said as she threw her arms around you. Jesse patted your back as he looked at Dave and then at your intertwined hands.</p><p>“Where’s Tom?” Jesse asked, observing the absence of the person who moments ago was just there. You shivered at the thought of what might’ve transpired between Tom and Dave outside your door.</p><p>“I got rid of him. Turns out he kind of spooks easily,” Dave said with a shrug.</p><p>“Excuse me, who are you?” The policeman behind Mel asked. Dave looked at the officer and read his badge and badge number, memorizing it just in case.</p><p>“I’m Dave. Her boss,” Dave said firmly. “When she didn’t return to the house right away and I hadn’t heard from her, I knew something was wrong. And I was right. She’d texted me about Tom being here.”</p><p>The two police officers nodded.</p><p>“Miss, do you mind coming down to the station to get a statement?” The officer asked. You shivered and Dave took notice.</p><p>“I think I should get her back to the house. She’s been through so much already and I can bring her down there later on,” Dave answered for you, taking charge. You gazed up at him, surprised me was being so cooperative with the authorities. <em>I guess that’s what he has to do, given his line of work,</em> you thought to yourself with an eye-roll. How much more did you now know about Dave?</p><p>“Very well. Miss, is that ok with you?” You nodded your head as you looked at Mel and Jesse.</p><p>“I –“you began but Dave cut you off.</p><p>“If you two would like to accompany us on the way to the house and spend some time with her, you’re more than welcome to. I’ll take care of getting the girls from school and everything later today,” Dave said. You looked at him and then your friends.</p><p>“Uh – yeah. I’d like that. They can follow along behind us?” You asked, finally finding your voice. Dave nodded and you both made your way out the door and to his SUV. Mel and Jesse got into their cars and drove up behind you as soon as you pulled off into the road. You and Dave sat in silence in his car. The air growing tense again.</p><p>“Spill,” you said, as you crossed your arms and glowered at him.</p><p>“Ask me questions and I’ll answer them. It’ll be easier that way,” Dave answered, as he looked at the road.</p><p>“Fine. First of all, how the fuck did you get into my apartment?” You asked, quirking an eyebrow up at him. Dave sighed.</p><p>“I had a copy made of it the first week you were at the house,” he answered truthfully.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“In case of emergencies.”</p><p>“Hmmm.” You pondered out loud. You thought back to all your conversations and things that he had said to you. Today he’d mentioned that he knew you were in trouble when he hadn’t heard from you, and he’d made it to your apartment faster than you’d anticipated, considering you thought he was fifteen minutes away at home. He’d made it to your apartment within five minutes of texting him, which would’ve been impossible if he was where he said he was.</p><p>“You said that when you hadn’t heard from me and when I hadn’t gotten back to the house after dropping off the girls that you knew something was wrong. But it would’ve taken you at least fifteen minutes, maybe ten if you broke traffic laws, to get to my apartment from the house. How did you know?” You challenged. Dave sighed. He pulled his phone out and handed it to you. You looked down at it in confusion.</p><p>“What am I supposed to do with this?” You asked him. He had you point the phone to him as he unlocked it with his thumb and turned the phone back to you. You looked down at the phone and your eyes widened. On the screen was an image of your front door. You tapped an arrow and the angle changed to that of your kitchen, facing the front door. Another tap and you were now looking at your living room. Another tap and you were looking down your hallway. Several more taps confirmed that there were indeed cameras everywhere in your apartment. Even in your bedroom and bathroom, though it didn’t show the shower, thankfully. <em>Small blessings,</em> you thought in annoyance.</p><p>“Double click and choose the next app,” he instructed. Following his directions, you were then greeted with a series of dots. Upon further investigation, you saw that the dots corresponded to your phone, and your car, along with a few other dots that you weren’t sure about.</p><p>“Those other dots are the girls’ phones, Carol’s car, and her phone,” Dave explained, seeming to know your unspoken questions.</p><p>“You bugged Carol’s phone?” You asked. “Is that how you knew about the affair?” Dave shook his head.</p><p>“Wait, is my phone bugged to?!” You said, realization finally dawning on you. <em>Oh god. He’d heard all the things you’d like Mel over the phone.</em> Dave merely looked at you and smirked.</p><p>“I won’t answer that, but I think you know the answer, princess. And no, I had had a feeling about the affair for a while but never had a reason to pursue investigating into it. Until – “Dave stopped himself.</p><p>“Until?” you prompted. Dave cleared his throat.</p><p>“Until you,” he replied softly. Your eyes widened. What exactly was he saying?</p><p>“Explain,” you stated.</p><p>“After I met you and found out you were the nanny, I had Resnik investigate into your background. Who you were. Where you went to school. Where you worked before. Who you’d dated. Everything. You were going to be watching my kids 24/7, I kind of had to,” Dave said with a shrug.</p><p>“And the cameras?” you asked with a grunt.</p><p>“Just to keep an eye on you. With Carol being absent the girls needed someone, and I wasn’t about to lose the only other person in their life that they looked at as a mother,” Dave uttered. “Besides, even without the cameras, you were tailed wherever you went. Resnik made sure of that.” You narrowed your eyes at him.</p><p>“You mean you had someone spying on me?”</p><p>“I guess when you put it that way…. But it was only to keep you safe. The night I got confirmation of Carol’s affair was the night I found out about Tom.”</p><p>“YOU WHAT?!” you exclaimed. <em>He’d known that Tom was out of jail and would be coming for you and didn’t tell you?!</em></p><p>“Look, I wanted to tell you but you didn’t even know that I knew.” Dave had a point there. You hadn’t mentioned anything of your history with Tom to Dave, even though you’d had a lot of pillow talk the last week.</p><p>“Wow,” you breathed out as you sat back in your seat. The rest of the ride was spent in silence as you processed everything that Dave had shared. Your boss was a spy. No, an assassin. An assassin spy? Whatever. He killed people for a living, which should terrify you, considering your ex had tried to kill you. <em>I’m surrounded by killers.</em> Yet you didn’t fear Dave like you feared Tom. In fact, instead of fear, you felt something else, and you weren’t quite sure what it was. You mulled things over and realized that Dave had only tried to protect you and hadn’t hurt you, whereas Tom had actually tried to kill you. <em>Dave was a killer, but he didn’t kill without reason, </em>you thought to yourself.</p><p>Being so lost in your thoughts you didn’t realize that you’d returned to Dave’s home until you were pulling up the driveway and Dave had already parked and looked at you. You turned away from him and let out the breath that you were holding.</p><p>“I – I think I need a little space,” you managed to say as you looked at him. Dave looked at you and nodded.</p><p>“I understand.”</p><p>You got out of the SUV and made your way over to the front door as Mel and Jesse met you there. Dave nodded at you all as you walked into the house and you shut the door. You turned to Mel and Jesse and they merely looked at you.</p><p>“Ok, spill,” Jesse finally said, breaking the silence.</p><hr/><p>Dave was seething. He wanted to crush Tom like the parasite that he was. But he couldn’t. Not yet at least. He needed to take care of a few things first; the main thing was to make sure that you were ok. Dave sighed as he thought about the conversation you had moments ago. He’d come clean to you about what he did and who he was. He’d come clean to you about everything, including the cameras and even bugging your phone. What the hell possessed him to do that, he had no idea. He shook his head as he dialed Resnik’s number.</p><p>“Resnik, I need you to track down Tom and keep an eye on him. I have some plans for him,” Dave instructed into the phone as he looked through the windshield and towards the silver SUV at the other end of the street.</p><p>“Got it,” came Resnik’s reply, and the line went dead. Dave had things to prepare.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-TWO DAYS LATER-</strong> </em>
</p><p>Dave had grown weary of Carol’s arrival as it grew nearer. After the ordeal with Tom two days prior you’d holed yourself up in your room. Dave had told the girls that you weren’t feeling very well and to not bother you, and you hadn’t even emerged to see him. He’d resorted to leaving trays of food outside your bedroom door for you and would watch as you’d open it and set the previous tray out. He’d understood that you’d just deal with a lot and needed some time, but he grew anxious. <em>I do not have feelings. No. I can’t,</em> Dave argued with himself that morning. Carol was set to be home within an hour and the girls were still at school. Dave had checked on you through the cameras and had seen that you were sound asleep, having taken some sleeping pills that he’d given you. First, he needed to deal with Carol before addressing things with you. He sat in the living room and waited, thinking of what he was going to say to Carol. It felt like an eternity had passed before he heard Carol’s car drive up and the sound of her getting out. Dave sighed as he got up and braced himself for what was to come. Carol walked in the door, none the wiser to what her husband knew.</p><p>“Carol,” Dave greeted, as she opened the door. Carol jumped back with a start.</p><p>“Dave! I wasn’t expecting you here,” Carol said, as she clutched her chest.</p><p>“Well, our nanny wasn’t feeling well so I dropped the girls off at school today and came home to make sure she was ok,” Dave answered. Carol nodded.</p><p>“I see. Well, that’s sweet of you,” Carol said as she maneuvered past him and towards their bedroom to unpack. Dave followed behind her as he bided his time, waiting for Carol to notice the envelope on their bed. Carol walked around the bedroom putting various things down before setting her gaze on the yellow manila envelope on the bed.</p><p>“Dave, what’s this?” Carol asked as she picked it up. Opening it she scanned the contents of the envelope and she let out a gasp as the pages fell to the ground. Enclosed were the photos of Carol and Adrian together, the same ones that Dave had shown you the night he found out.</p><p>“Dave, honey, I – I can explain,” Carol said. Dave held his hand up and shook his head.</p><p>“I know everything, Carol,” Dave said sternly as Carol swallowed. “We are getting a divorce, and I am taking the girls.”</p><p>“You can’t!” Carol exclaimed and Dave silenced her with a firm gaze.</p><p>“I can and I am. The girls deserve a mother who will be there for them, not one that goes on so-called work trips with her lover for weeks at a time,” Dave spat out. Carol recoiled at his spiteful tone and his words cut deep.</p><p>“I suppose the fucking nanny's the one to do it?” Carol retorted back trying to get a rise out of Dave. “Have you been sleeping with our nanny?”</p><p>“Maybe she is! The girls asked her themselves if she’d stay and be their new mom,” Dave bitterly replied, making sure to dodge the question of sleeping with you. Carol’s heart broke to hear that her own daughters were unhappy with her.</p><p>“No. No, they can’t have said that. You’re lying!” Carol lashed out, as she threw a finger accusingly at Dave. Dave shook his head and squared his shoulders, looking much more intimidating. <em>I wish it were as easy to get rid of her as it would be others. Ugh.</em></p><p>“It doesn’t matter, Carol. This marriage is over. Don’t bother unpacking because you will be out of this house by tonight,” Dave said as he turned on his heel and walked out of the bedroom, leaving Carol to cripple to the floor in agony.  She let out a sob as she looked down at the pictures once more. <em>What have I done?</em> She thought to herself.</p><hr/><p>You woke with a start. You’d had another nightmare about Tom. You dreamt that he’d somehow gotten into the York’s house and taken you and finished what he’d started. You looked down at your arms. Sweat dripping down onto the mattress. The last two nights you’d stayed in your room away from Dave, and you’d known that it was a mistake. You missed his body next to yours, holding you as you slept. You were still upset with him, but also understood where he was coming from. In a matter of short weeks, you’d gotten to know Dave, and knew that he’d never intentionally hurt you unless you asked for it. Having found out the truth about him had not made you fear him, in fact, it made you even hotter for him. In your nightmares with Tom, you also dreamt that Dave swooped in to save you and whisk you away. You sighed at that thought as you got up out of bed and into the bathroom. You knew that Carol was due home today but wasn’t sure about the time since you’d been ignoring the world around you for the last 48 hours. You were, however, unaware that she had already arrived home two hours prior and currently sat in the master bedroom crying while Dave was hidden away in his office. You walked into the shower and turned it on, waiting for the room to fill with steam before stepping in and sighing as you felt the hot water cascade down your back. You never wanted to get out, but you knew that you had to face reality sooner or later. After twenty minutes you stepped out of the bathroom and into your bedroom and stopped in your tracks. The window on the other side of your room was open and a breeze came in, but you knew that you’d left it closed when you went into the bathroom. You were sure of it. You clutched your towel to your body as you scanned the room, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. You walked over to the window and shut it and then made your way to the walk-in closet and turning on the light and looking around, still not seeing anyone. You sighed and shook your head. <em>Probably just being paranoid. Dave probably came in and opened the window, </em>you thought to yourself as you walked over to where you kept your underwear. As you were about to drop the towel you felt a presence behind you and the hairs on the back of your head stood up. As you began to turn, a hand came around to clasp over your mouth as another one held you restricted your movement.</p><p>“Hey baby, miss me?” a voice spoke into your ear as the world went black around you.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Abduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tom is back. Things take a very dark turn.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, violence, sexual assault/rape, somnophilia, MAJOR TRAUMA, kidnapping, escaping kidnapping, blood,, miscarriage, some slight smut (not the good kind), soft Dave, 18+ only please!</p><p>Author’s Note: I’m putting a trigger warning for certain scenes. Please keep an eye for the ***** to indicate when the scene has ended. If you’re not comfortable with any of the major trauma listed in the warnings, please skip the parts between trigger warnings.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You groaned as you opened your eyes, pain running through your entire body. You began to regain your senses as you took in where you were and what had happened. All you remembered was Tom’s voice as you were getting dressed in the York home and then nothing. As you looked around you saw that you were in a dark room with a light in the corner. You were seated in a chair, and you felt your hands were bound by rope. Your ankles were also bound as you tried to move your legs, and immense pain shot through you when you moved your lower body. How long had you been out for? You looked down at yourself and saw that you had clothing on but were barefoot. <em>At least I’m not naked</em>, you thought thankful that Tom had the foresight to at least dress you before bringing you to wherever you were. You thought about what was happening with Dave once he found you missing. You knew that he had your location through your phone and car but guessed that Tom probably ditched both of those things. Even with Dave’s endless resources, you knew it’d be a long shot if he found you, but you still hoped. You tried to steady your breathing in hopes of calming yourself down, knowing that now was not the time to panic. As you took a few deep breaths you heard a door open and close, and then footsteps echo through the room. A dark figure stood just outside of the light and stared at you through the shadows before finally coming closer.</p><p>“Tom,” you spat out in disgust.</p><p>“Hey baby, did you miss me?” He asked. You bared your teeth at him, as you tugged on your restraints. Tom shook his finger at you.</p><p>“Now now, babe. You really hurt me the other day when that guy showed up. Who is he, new boyfriend? He’s a little old, don’t you think?” Tom taunted.</p><p>“Shut the fuck up!” you snapped at him.</p><p>“You don’t want to piss me off, baby,” Tom growled as he grabbed your chin and looked into your eyes. You felt fear creep inside of you and you whimpered in his hold, trying to shake your head free. Tom pulled out a knife and held it up to the light, watching as the blade caught the light and it seemed to twinkle.</p><p>“Tom, please,” you begged. Tom tutted at you.</p><p>“Now now, babe. I’d hate to have to use this on you,” he replied as he waved the knife in front of you. Your mind flashed with the last time he had a knife in front of you and you froze. You remembered the pain, the dull ache of the blade plunging into your body, and the warmth of blood seeming out. You shook your head at the memory and narrowed your eyes at him. No, you weren’t going to give him any power over you again. You took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.</p><p>“I dare you to do it, Tom,” you taunted, hoping your confidence would throw him off. Tom looked at you and scoffed.</p><p>“Oh baby, I don’t want to end it so soon. Where’s the fun in that?” Tom said as he put the knife back into its sheath at his side. “I want to draw out our fun. I’m owed three years’ worth after all.” Your blood ran cold at his words. <em>Three years and then released for good behavior. What a fucking joke.</em></p><p>“I owe you nothing,” you sneered back. Tom narrowed his eyes at you and bent down to your eye level.</p><p>“Baby, you owe me everything. You’re lucky I want to draw this out because either way, I plan to finish what I started,” he threatened as he stood up and walked away from you. You heard the slam of the door and you broke down. You hoped that Dave would somehow find out where you were and come get you, but if Carol was home by now then he would have his hands full with her and forget about you. You sobbed harder at the thought that you really were alone in Tom’s clutches, and nobody was coming to save you.</p><hr/><p>Dave was livid. He was already pissed and on edge when Carol got home, but when he looked at the camera feed to check on you several hours after Carol had left the house, he was taken back seeing you gone. <em>She couldn’t have left without me knowing.</em> Dave thought as he rewound the feed. He felt his anger ignite at the image of a figure opening your window while you were in the shower and climbing in to hide in your closet. He felt his blood boil watching the figure come up behind you and know you out, amid getting dressed. His blood ran cold when he watched the figure undress you and redress you before dragging your limp body out the window. He changed the camera feed to the street and watched as the figure dumped you into the trunk and took off down the street. Dave was pissed, to say the least. He was fuming, to the point where you might think there was steam coming out of his ears. He’d been so preoccupied with Carol that he didn’t even think to check on you. Granted you were asleep last time he’d checked on you, but he’d been so distracted that Tom was able to sneak in and abduct you right under his roof. Oh no, Dave was beyond pissed, he was downright infuriated. Dave was ready to get his hands dirty. More than usual at least. Dave picked up the phone and begrudgingly dialed Carol’s number.</p><p>“Carol, I need you to come back to the house to take care of the girls. Our fucking nanny has been kidnapped,” he said into the phone.</p><p>“What? What happened, Dave?!” Carol screeched into the phone. Dave held the phone away from his ear as to not go deaf from her outburst.</p><p>“I said, you need to come back to the house and be a goddamn mother to my daughters for once,” Dave spat. Carol grew silent and whimpered.</p><p>“Ok, I’m on my way,” she said. Dave replied with a grunt and hung up the phone and dialed Resnik.</p><p>“Resnik, I need you to pull the street footage from the last day and look for Tom’s fucking car in the neighborhood. You were supposed to have been on fucking top of this and Tom came into my house and took her,” Dave seethed into the phone. “My own goddamn fucking house!” Resnik had been in charge of maintaining your security and safety but had clearly slipped up.</p><p>“On it,” Resnik replied. “Sorry, Dave.”</p><p>“You’ll be more than sorry if you don’t find out where he took her,” Dave replied angrily into the phone. Resnik gulped on the other end of the line before Dave hung up.</p><p>“FUCK!” he shouted as he kicked his desk. Dave was going to do whatever it took to find you. No matter what he had to do.</p><hr/><p> A cold rush woke you from your slumber and you felt water.</p><p>“Wakey wakey, baby,” Tom said as you spied him in the doorway of your room. Room was very much an understatement. It was a 5’ x 5’ closet with a bucket in one corner and a sleeping bag and blanket in the other. Tom had moved you from being tied to the chair into the room while you were passed out from exhaustion the day after he took you. You felt like days had passed since he’d taken you, but you couldn’t tell anymore. Tom was unpredictable and you weren’t sure what he had planned for you. For the first few days you were there Tom had slid a can of food to you, after quickly opening and shutting the door so you couldn’t see anything behind him, leaving you alone to your own devices. He did that three times a day for about a week you think. Then you’d gone several days without seeing him at all. Your heart raced during those days because you feared that he’d just upped and left you to starve to death, but then he’d reappeared again. One night you’d woken up to see Tom standing above you and he had his belt undone. You recoiled in fear, not knowing what he was going to do. That night Tom had used the belt to hit you and you were left tending the welts littering your body. You cried yourself to sleep for the umpteenth time that night.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-TWO WEEKS LATER-</strong> </em>
</p><p>❗️<span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER WARNING❗️</span></p><p>“Baby,” you heard groaned into your ear, as you slowly awoke. You felt a weight on top of you and you whimpered in pleasure. You were having such a good dream, and it felt so real. You dreamt that Dave was with you in bed, holding you close, before he decided to slide himself into your heat and claim you. It took you a moment to realize where you were, and who exactly was on top of you. Your eyes bolted open with fear as you gazed into the eyes of Tom as he thrust back into you with a grunt.</p><p>“Oh, baby,” he said as he saw you’d opened your eyes and were awake. “You’re finally awake.” Your throat tightened and you lost your breath. <em>No. No. No. This was not happening, </em>you thought. You felt Tom’s hands on your thighs, spreading them further as he drilled into you. Tears began to stream down your face at the truth of what was happening. You felt dirty. Disgusted. Violated. You tried to push Tom off you but he grabbed both your wrists and pinned them above your head.</p><p>“Now now, baby. Don’t be a bad girl. Just take it like a good girl, and it’ll all be over,” Tom jeered at you. You squeezed your eyes shut and tried to disassociate yourself with this. Thinking of Dave and of happier times.</p><p>“I don’t think so. Open your eyes,” Tom demanded as he slapped you with his free hand. Your cheek stung at the contact and you gave in to his demand. The less you fought the less likely Tom would hurt you. You silently prayed that Dave would find you or Tom would just put you out of your misery. <em>Please, I just want it to be over.</em></p><p>❗️END T<span class="npf_color_joey">RIGGER❗️</span></p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-TWO MONTHS LATER-</strong> </em>
</p><p>It had been months now, that much you knew. You’d been trying to keep track of the days by how much light shined through under the door, but it was harder than you thought. You knew that people had probably thought you were long dead by now. You imagined your family having a funeral for you, your friends being there with them, and maybe even Dave and the girls. Your heart broke at the thought, but you’d run out of tears to shed. You’d run out of tears nearly a month ago when you realized that nobody was coming for you. Tom had told you himself a month ago that the news outlets had stopped posting your missing persons poster, and that the cops had stopped actively looking for you.</p><p>“I’m better off dead,” you said to yourself, as you hugged your knees to your chest and cried. This was torture and you knew that sooner or later Tom would kill you anyway, you just knew that the sadistic bastard was going to draw it out by now.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-THREE WEEKS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You groaned as you threw up into the bucket for the fourth time today. This was the third day in a row that you’d thrown up and you were exhausted. Tom had still visited you almost every night but was starting to treat you somewhat better than he had been. By that, you meant that he’d given you a little air mattress, thicker blankets, and would now escort you to the bathroom for a shower once a week. It was better than how he’d been treating you before, but you knew he’d snap at any given moment. Despite how you acted around him you still wished that he’d just end it all, or that someone would somehow save you. You hoped, but with each passing day, you knew that the chances were getting smaller and smaller. Tom took great pleasure in reminding you that nobody would come looking for you if they hadn’t already. You sat back on the air mattress holding the blanket to you and tried to think of the days before Tom held you captive. You thought of the random day that Dave actually surprised you with flowers in bed after you’d put the girls to sleep. The memory brought tears to your eyes and you sniffled, trying not to make any noise lest Tom decide to come in and punish you for being too loud. <em>Too late,</em> you thought as you heard his steps coming towards the door. Tom swung the door open and the room was enveloped in a blinding light.</p><hr/><p>❗️<span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER WARNING❗️</span></p><p>“Get up,” he commanded. You clung onto the blanket as you stood up, trying to shield your body from Tom and keep yourself warm. Tom wasn’t having any of it today it seemed.</p><p>“I said GET UP!” he shouted as he grabbed your arm and yanked. The force of his actions sent you toppling towards him and he moved out of the way as you fell onto the floor outside your makeshift cell. Tom took the opportunity to kick you in the stomach several times as you grunted in pain. You laid on the floor for a moment before Tom grabbed you by the hair and slammed your face onto the floor as he punched your sides, causing you to cry out in pain. <em>Those were going to definitely bruise.</em></p><p>“Fuck, you’re pathetic. Get up so you can get the shit smell off you,” he said as he grabbed you by the arm to drag you toward the bathroom. As you walked through the hall you spied a window at the end of the hall and it looked to daylight out. <em>Why haven’t I noticed that before? </em>You thought to yourself as you began to formulate a plan. A very risky plan, but one nonetheless. Tom walked you into the bathroom and pushed you into the shower. You stumbled but managed to grip onto the wall of the shower for support before Tom started the water and you felt the cold sting hit your body.</p><p>“Hurry it up,” he sneered as he leaned against the wall, watching your every move. You turned and began to strip out of your clothes and used the bar of soak to lather your body.</p><p>“Tom?” You croaked out meekly. Tom raised his eyebrow at you. You hadn’t bothered to speak the last few months except to say yes or no, so your speaking took him by surprise.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I – I realize now that you’ve only ever cared about me, and I’m sorry,” you stuttered out. Tom stepped away from the wall and looked at you, unsure if you were being serious or not. You took the opportunity to lean out of the shower and kiss him, putting everything you had into the kiss. Tom, loving the newfound affection you were willingly giving him, took the opportunity to join you in the shower, coming to stand under the spray of water with you as he gripped your head and deepened the kiss. It took every fiber of your being not to gag but you knew that you had to play your part. You took the opportunity to slide your hand down to Tom’s pants and slip in, taking hold of his hard length and began to pump.</p><p>“Oh fuck, baby,” he groaned out as he closed his eyes and nuzzled your neck. “Just like that.” You kissed his cheek and then began to get on your knees, gazing into his eyes.</p><p>“Let me show you how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me,” you said seductively. Once fully on your knees, you looked up at him as you took his length into your mouth and started to bob your head. In and out. In and out. Tom’s moans filled the bathroom as he turned the water too hot and placed a hand on the wall to steady himself.</p><p>“Oh yeah, baby. Such a good girl,” he said as he gripped the back of your head with his free hand. You felt him grow closer to climax and sped up your movements, hoping that your plan would work. You felt Tom grow harder and felt his balls tighten, and just as he was about to hit his peak you bit down. Hard. Blood poured out of your mouth as you felt the flesh part beneath your teeth.</p><p>“FUCK!” Tom yelled as you grabbed his testicles and twisted. He howled in pain as you took the chance to push him down and run out of the bathroom, making sure to close the door to put some distance between the two of you. You could hear Tom yelling out in pain still in the shower and heard him stumble, trying to get up. You glanced at the front door at the end of a hallway to the left of the bathroom and you bolted. <em>Thank god he didn’t think I’d ever try to escape,</em> you thought as you yanked the front door open and run outside. You ran out into the street as fast as you could and turned, running to the nearest house, which was a good hundred yards away.</p><p>“YOU FUCKING BITCH GET BACK HERE!” You heard Tom yell as you made your way to the neighbor’s home. You chanced a glance over your shoulder and saw Tom holding onto his groin, bleeding onto his pants, as he tried to run after you. You managed to make it to the other house and began to pound on the door.</p><p>“PLEASE!!! HELP ME!!!” You shouted in desperation. “PLEASE, OPEN THE DOOR!” You heard a rustling behind the door and it quickly opened. You came face to face with a middle-aged man and woman, eyes wide, with two children sitting on the couch behind them. You must’ve been quite a sight, completely naked and bruised, running for your life, with blood around your mouth and face. The man saw Tom behind you and quickly huddled you into the house as his wife grabbed the phone and called 911. The man shut the door and locked it, as Tom finally made his way to the door to start pounding on it.</p><p>❗️END <span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER❗️</span></p><hr/><p>“Get your ass out here now, you bitch!” Tom howled. The wife had brought over a blanket and given it to you as you sat cowering in the corner. Within minutes you heard sirens blaring and cars screeching to a halt outside the house.</p><p>“FREEZE!” You heard an officer yell and Tom cursed. You chanced a look out the window and saw Tom had his hands up and was kneeling on the ground as an officer came up to cuff him, while another officer came to the door. The couple who’d taken you in opened it and they looked at you.</p><p>“Ma’am, I’m officer Smith, I’m here to escort you to the hospital. We have an ambulance waiting outside,” he said as he held out his hand to you. You clutched the blanket tight to your body as you got up on shaky legs but then collapsed. Officer Smith took it upon himself to pick you up bridal style and carry you to the ambulance as you watched over his shoulder as Tom was placed into the back of a squad car, yelling obscenities the entire time. You looked back at the house and saw the couple watching through their doorway and the woman nodded to you as you gave her a small smile. You felt pain radiate through your entire body but you were finally safe.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-AT THE HOSPITAL-</strong> </em>
</p><p> You laid in the emergency room waiting for a doctor to come to see you. You’d been poked and prodded by several nurses and techs and you were now awaiting the results of the bloodwork and scans that they’d done to see the extent of the damage Tom had caused. You had been given some painkillers to help with the pain but it didn’t seem to do much. You laid there staring at the ceiling and hoping that this hell could be over with. You heard the door open and the curtain pull back and you looked over to see a woman with a clipboard in her hand and glasses perched on her nose.</p><p>“Hello, dear, I’m doctor Chase, how are you feeling?” She asked. You shrugged.</p><p>“The painkillers have been somewhat helping but otherwise I feel like absolute shit, doc,” you replied. She gave you a small smile and looked down at her clipboard.</p><p>“I’m not sure, but has anyone come in and told you the results of the tests?” she asked. You shook your head, unsure of where this was going.</p><p>“No, I’ve pretty much just been waiting,” you replied. Doctor Chase sighed and came over to take your hand in hers.</p><p>“Sweetie, I’m not sure how to put this delicately, but you were pregnant,” she stated. Your eyes widened as you looked at her.</p><p>“I – what? Were?” you managed to croak out in disbelief.</p><p>“Judging from your hormone levels and the size of the fetus you were about four to four and a half months along,” she said. Tears brimmed your eyes. That meant that it was Dave’s baby. You had lost Dave’s baby.</p><p>“I’m so sorry for your loss, dear, but with the abuse that your body had gone through and the lack of nourishment, you just weren’t able to sustain the pregnancy any longer. It looks like what caused the miscarriage was the injuries you’d gotten to your abdomen,” she explained. “We will have to perform a procedure called a dilation and evacuation, or a D&amp;E, to make sure that your body doesn’t go into shock and cause any issues.” You nodded at her words as she got up but you were still processing the news. You’d been pregnant. With Dave’s baby. A life that you had created with him. And Tom had killed your baby. Again…Tears streamed down your face as the nurses came in to wheel you to the operating room to perform the procedure and as you were being wheeled you grabbed the nurse’s hand nearest to you and look at her.</p><p>“Please, could you call Dave?” You begged, not wanting to wake up alone without him.</p><p>“Dave?” she asked. You nodded.</p><p>“Dave York, please.” She nodded and you thanked her before they got you under the glaring lights of the operating room. You felt them put a mask over your face and told you to count down from 10. <em>10….9..…8……</em>and your world went dark.</p><hr/><p> <b>RING! RING! RING! </b>Dave glanced down from his computer and saw Resnik’s name on the caller ID.</p><p>“Yes?” he answered.</p><p>“Dave, it’s about her. She’s been found,” Resnik said into the phone. Dave’s heart stopped. He’d been looking for you nonstop since Tom had abducted you and he’d grown more and more agitated with each passing day. You’d been gone for three months and the authorities had given up on you. Dave was a little impressed with how well Tom had disappeared from the face of the planet, but his rage was beyond comparison. He was ready to do rip Tom apart piece by piece when he got his hands on him.</p><p>“Where is she?” Dave said as he got up from his desk and made his way to his car, ignoring Carol in the kitchen as she looked on curiously.</p><p>“She’s at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford. I’ve sent you the address,” Resnik replied. Dave thanked him and hung up, punching in the address to make his way over to you. He’d driven nearly two hours before he was within city limits and when his phone rang again, this time an unknown number.</p><p>“Hello?” he answered as he grew closer to the hospital.</p><p>“Hello, is this Mr. York?” said a voice.</p><p>“This is he,” Dave responded.</p><p>“Hi, Mr. York. This is Jenny calling from Lawrence Memorial Hospital. I have a,” she paused, shuffling some papers around and read him your name. “I have her asking for you. She told us to give you a call, but you’re not listed as an emergency contact.”</p><p>“I’m a close friend,” Dave replied. “I’ll be there shortly.”</p><p>“Ok, when you get in please go to the emergency room lobby and let them know you’re here.” Dave ended the call and quickly sent Resnik a text to track down Tom and get him out of the authorities’ hands. He wanted to deal with Tom himself. Dave pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and made his way inside to the emergency room lobby as instructed. When he walked up to the receptionist he wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but he braced himself for anything.</p><p>“Hi, I’m Dave York. I believe I spoke with a Jenny earlier when she called me,” he suavely said as he looked at the receptionist.</p><p>“Hi, Mr. York! I spoke with you earlier, yes,” Jenny replied swooning at Dave. “She is recovering in room four from surgery but you can go on back.” Dave nodded to Jenny with a wink and walked over to the door that would take him to the rooms. He heard a buzz and the door unlock and he swiftly made his way to room four. Once outside he saw a clipboard and a file. He looked around to ensure he wasn’t seen and opened the file and read the contents. <b>Multiple fractured ribs. Bruising on thighs and arms. Lacerations on hips. Mild concussion. Miscarriage – D&amp;E advised.</b>Dave looked at the last bit before rereading it. And again. And again. <em>What? It can’t be. She - no. </em>He thought to himself as he placed the file back into its place and walked into the room quietly. He drew back the curtain and his breath hitched in his throat. There you lay hooked up to several machines with the quiet beeping of your heartbeat on the monitor. You looked beautiful, even with all the bruising and injuries. He walked over to your bedside and saw that you were still asleep, so he pulled up a chair and grabbed your hand, laying a gentle kiss on it</p><p>“I’m here, sweet girl,” he whispered as he kissed your hand and waited. “I’m here.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Retribution</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave and reader have a very important conversation. Justice is finally served.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, angst, violence, death, blood, graphic descriptions of torture, 18+ only please!</p><p>Author’s Note: I’m putting a trigger warning for certain scenes and also where the violence starts. Please keep an eye for the warnings.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You hear a slight beeping to your right and feel a weight on your left hand. You open your eyes slowly to see white everywhere. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the light and you see that you’re in a hospital room again. You look over to your left where you felt some weight and see a hand grasping your own. You follow the hand to an arm and the arm to the rest of the body and it takes a moment for your brain to register who is there with you. Dave. Your breath hitches in your throat and tears form in your eyes seeing him sound asleep in his chair next to your bed. You sniffle a big and bite back a sob, but the sound instantly wakes Dave as he looks over at you concerned.</p><p>“Hey,” he whispers as he leans over a bit and grips your hand with both of his. “How are you feeling?” You look at him and blink, making sure that he’s really there with you and it’s not some hallucination you’re having.</p><p>“I – uh,” your voice cracks, “I feel – alright I guess.” You clear your throat as you try not to cry at the fact that he’s really there with you. <em>Do not cry. Do not cry.</em></p><p>“They said that you were in surgery,” Dave said concerned. “What happened?” Your mind flooded with all the memories from the last few months and tears start to stream from your eyes. Dave strokes your hand as he brushes a tear away. “Take your time, baby girl.” You took a deep breath before talking.</p><p>“After my shower, I was in my closet getting dressed when Tom came up behind me,” you started. Dave nodded, already knowing what happened until you were put in Tom’s trunk but let you speak. “After that, I woke up tied to a chair. He – he threatened me with a knife and said he had a lot planned for me. I told him he should just kill me, finish what he started years ago, but he said he wanted to make it last. That he had three years’ worth to get back at me for. He kept me in a small room, closest more like, and it didn’t even have a bed. It was just a sleeping bag on the floor. He’d give me canned food and would leave me alone for days at a time. I was grateful for those days.” Dave nodded as he listened intently to what you were saying, all the while thinking of ways that he’d make Tom suffer once he got his hands on him. He hoped that Resnik had managed to secure Tom from the police but knew it might take a little time.</p><p>“You can keep going if you want to,” Dave encouraged. You nodded as you wiped more tears from your eyes at the thoughts of what you’d gone through.</p><hr/><p>❗️<span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER WARNING❗️</span></p><p>“Tom – he uh – he’d come into the room at night now and then and would hit me. Some nights I’d wake up and he’d be there laying beside me and he – “you let out a sob as more tears spilled out. “He’d be inside me.” Dave tensed up at the words. His blood ran cold at the revelation that Tom had touched what was his.</p><p>“That son of a bitch,” Dave muttered stroking your cheek, wiping more tears away. “How did you get away?”</p><p>“Tom – he – he would take me out of the room to shower now and then. He’d keep a close eye on me usually and I always kept my head down but this time I looked around when we walked to the shower and noticed a way to get out. He’d hit me several times and I was pretty weak, so I just kept acting like it while I thought of how to get away. I uh – I asked him to come into the shower with me and he said yes. I – uh – I started to do things to him. Um – I started to blow him and then I – I bit him.” Dave’s eyes grew wide in surprise.</p><p>“You’d what?”</p><p>“I bit him.”</p><p>“You bit him,” Dave repeated as you nodded. Dave raised his eyebrow at you.</p><p>“In the dick,” you said nonchalantly with a shrug. Dave let out a laugh.</p><p>“Oh, baby girl, you’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” You gave him a small smile and nodded.</p><p>“I guess so. Yeah,” you replied. “Anyways, I managed to get out and ran to a neighbor’s house and they were nice enough to take me in and call the cops. After that, I came here, and they did a bunch of tests and stuff on me.” Dave nodded, remembering what was written in your file outside.</p><p>“I’m proud of you for getting away from him, baby girl,” Dave said as he stroked your head, pulling it close to his chest. You sniffled as you nodded and then remembered why Dave was there, to begin with, and the information you’d found out before going into surgery.</p><p>“Dave,” you said as you pulled away from him. “There’s something you should know.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I – uh – the doctors said that – um – that I was pregnant,” you stammered out, looking down at your hands. “They said that – um – Tom’s abuse the day I escaped caused me to – “ you let out a sob as the tears grew thick again at the thought of your unborn baby you’d lost.</p><p>“You don’t have to keep going if you don’t want to,” Dave said caringly. You shook your head.</p><p>“No, you need to know,” you replied. “They said that I lost the baby. That’s why I was in surgery. I was almost five months.”</p><p>“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Dave said as he took your hands and squeezed them comfortingly.</p><p>“No, I’m sorry, Dave. I lost the baby,” you said sadly. “Our baby.” Dave’s eye grew wide at the news. It was his baby? He was going to be a father? Keyword was. Dave felt more anger surge through at the news that it was his baby that you had lost. His baby that Tom had killed. He was going to make Tom suffer tenfold for this. Dave would make Tom’s death a slow and painful one, so Tom could feel every bit of pain that he had inflicted upon you and your unborn child. Dave kissed the top of your head as he got up.</p><p>❗️END <span class="npf_color_joey">TRIGGER❗️</span></p><hr/><p>“Rest, baby,” Dave said as he straightened himself up. “I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. I have a few phone calls to make.” With that, he stepped out of the room. You gazed down at your hands and wondered what Dave would do. Tom was in police custody, so you pondered Dave’s next move, guessing that he probably had connections that would allow him to get Tom away from the police. You could tell that Dave was beyond livid with the news that Tom had been responsible for the miscarriage. You knew that Dave was a very caring father and would do anything to protect Molly and Alice, so you would only guess what Dave had in store for Tom if he got his hands on him. You hoped that Tom would suffer an immeasurable amount of pain at the hands of Dave, and you had half a mind to ask Dave to let you watch, but your stomach churned at the thought of blood. You decided to listen to Dave’s advice and rest while he made those calls.</p><hr/><p>Dave was tired of Tom being around causing so much chaos in your lives. He was sick and tired of Tom causing you pain and he wanted Tom to pay. Dave pulled out his phone and dialed Resnik’s number, hoping to get some good news.</p><p>“Hey boss,” Resnik greeted.</p><p>“Resnik, you better have some good fucking news for me,” Dave sternly said into the phone, clenching it in his hand.</p><p>“I do,” Resnik replied. “I was able to get in touch with some old contacts at the police department where they have Tom, and they’ve arranged for Tom to be lost in transit on the way to where they’re going to hold him until trial,” Dave smirked evilly at the news.</p><p>“When does that happen?” He asked.</p><p>“In about two hours,” Resnik replied. “Due to him breaking out on parole and that severity of the crime they’re fast-tracking a few things to get him moved.” Dave nodded as he began to formulate a plan.</p><p>“Good. Good. Make sure to get him quickly and once you do bring him to the safe house. Keep him comfortable until I get there tomorrow evening. Make sure everything is ready for a swift clean-up once I’m done. She needs me right now so I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”</p><p>“Got it,” Resnik acknowledged and ended the call. Dave let out a breath knowing that Tom would shortly be in their grasp and he’d make sure that Tom would never bother you again. Dave’s primal instinct to protect you was in overdrive and knowing you had carried his child made him even more protective and vengeful. He clenched his fists as he walked back into the hospital and made his way back to your room. Once he stepped into the room, he saw that you’d fallen asleep and smiled. Even after everything that had happened, you looked angelic and Dave felt a tug on his heartstrings. He really didn’t want to admit it, but he was falling for you. Dave sat down beside you and took your hand in his again and watched as you slept, keeping an eye on his phone for any update from Resnik.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-THREE HOURS LATER-</strong> </em>
</p><p>Dave’s phone dinged with a text from Resnik.</p><p>
  <strong>Resnik: We have him.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: Good, I’ll see you tomorrow night.</strong>
</p><p>Dave looked at you as you slept and he got up, kissing your forehead as he got ready to leave to go home and check on Carol and the girls. You stirred and opened your eyes, looking at him questioningly.</p><p>“I’m going to go home and check on the girls and make sure Carol is taking care of them, but I’ll be back tomorrow. The nurse came in while you were asleep and said that they’ll discharge you tomorrow morning, so I’ll be here to bring you home,” he explained. You nodded your head as you took hold of his hand.</p><p>“Thank you,” you said meekly. Dave nodded and gave you a little smile before leaning down and kissing your forehead again before pressing a kiss to your lips. The gesture of affection surprised you and you felt your heart swell at the sweetness he rarely showed you. He was usually much more dominating and commanding so the softness he was showing was a nice change. An unpredicted one, but a nice development to say the least. Dave made his way to the door and looked back at you, seeing you watching him with a little smile.</p><p>“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as you nodded and waved before he walked out, shutting the door behind him. Dave made his way home slowly, not wanting to deal with Carol. As he walked in, he was greeted by Carol and the girls sitting at the dinner table.</p><p>“Welcome home,” Carol greeted. The last several months had been a nightmare for Dave. He’d had to pretend that things with Carol were fine in front of the girls, but behind closed doors, he ignored Carol’s presence. She’d taken up the other spare bedroom as her own at Dave’s behest, and he had been glad to at least have time away from her. The girls had been happy that their mother was back, but Dave could tell that it was mostly superficial, and they had missed your presence greatly. Molly had expressed her annoyance at Carol’s overbearingness and how she’d been making an effort to be more of a mother one morning when Dave had brought them to school, and he wasn’t sure how to respond. He didn’t want the girls to know about things between the two of you, but at the same time, he wanted to tell them that he was planning on leaving their mother. He wasn’t sure how they’d respond but with how taken they’d been with you, he knew that it wouldn’t be as big of a deal as he thought it would be.</p><p>“Thanks,” Dave replied to Carol as he sat at the table with the girls, just in time for dinner.</p><p>“How was your day, dad?” Alice asked as she picked at the peas on her plate. Dave let out a sigh and looked at his family.</p><p>“Well, she was found and she’s recovering at the hospital right now,” he replied. When you had suddenly disappeared, Dave had reported you missing and had informed the girls that you were gone. He’d tried to put it as delicately as possible, but Carol was ruined that with an outburst, saying that you had left because she was back. That had upset the girls since you hadn’t said goodbye and Dave had to do damage control and assure them that you had been kidnapped, which is why they needed to never get into a car with strangers. The girls had taken that as a lesson but expressed that they missed you and Dave told them that he’d bring you soon. That was months ago, and the girls had lost hope of ever seeing you again, but now they had hope in their eyes as he delivered the news. Carol on the other hand was trying not to burst into tears. Now that you were found you’d surely be back in their lives which meant she ran the risk of losing the girls. She knew that Dave was going to leave her eventually, but had hoped that he’d change his mind, even though he knew about her affair. She’d kept it a secret as best as she could that she was still seeing Adrian, but she had a feeling that Dave knew. It seemed like he always knew just what was going on.</p><p>“Yay!” Molly and Alice exclaimed. “When is she coming home?” Carol’s heart clenched as the girls asked about you and the mention of home. This was her home more than it was yours and she didn’t want that to change anytime soon, but Dave would see to it that Carol was gone and out of the picture now that you were back.</p><p>“I’ll be bringing her home tomorrow morning, so you girls better be on your best behavior for her, ok?” Dave said with a smile and a wink at his daughters. They both cheerfully nodded, and Dave looked at Carol, seeing the disdain on her face. He shot her a stern look and Carol averted her eyes, feeling Dave’s annoyance with her. They sat in silence the rest of the night and Dave made quick work of getting the girls to bed. Once they were tucked in Dave came back to the kitchen where Carol was putting away dishes and he stood on the other side of the kitchen island and cleared his throat. Carol turned to face him, crossing her arms awkwardly, waiting for what he had to say.</p><p>“Now that she is back I expect you gone,” Dave commanded. Carol turned her gaze downwards and sighed.</p><p>“Is there really no hope for us?” she asked him. Dave shook his head and slapped his hands onto the countertop, causing Carol to jump.</p><p>“There is no more us, Carol. You saw to it when you decided to fuck off with Adrian and leave the girls. You reap what you sow, and now you’re going to deal with it,” Dave replied as he pointed a finger at her. All color drained from her face as she had no choice but to nod.</p><p>“I want you out by tomorrow afternoon, and the next time you hear from me will be when you’re served with the divorce papers. I will get full custody of the girls, and if you try anything, I will make sure that you regret it, understand?” Dave said firmly. Carol could only nod at his words, feeling them cut through her. “If you do anything, and I mean anything, I will know about it and who knows, maybe something will happen to your dear Adrian.” At Dave’s threat, Carol gasped.</p><p>“You wouldn’t dare,” she said.</p><p>“Oh, I would dare. You’re nothing but a greedy little whore and mark my words, I will follow through if you do so much as lift a finger against me. Do I make myself clear?” Dave sneered at her.</p><p>“Crystal,” Carol huffed out.</p><p>“Good,” Dave replied as he made his way upstairs to get some rest and plan things out for the following evening.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-THE NEXT DAY-</strong> </em>
</p><p>You’d woken to a nurse gently nudging you awake, holding a clipboard with some paperwork on it.</p><p>“Miss, I need you to just sign the paperwork here and we’ll get you discharged,” she said. You quickly signed the papers and looked up at her as you handed her the pen.</p><p>“Is there anyone waiting for me?” you asked hopeful that Dave would already be there.</p><p>“Yes, a Mr. Dave York is in the lobby waiting for you. We’re going to wheel you out to the front of the building per his request. Oh, before I forget, he also brought some clothes for you to change into.” You smiled at the sentiment and Dave’s effort for you. You’d forgotten that you’d come to the hospital in nothing but a blanket and didn’t want to deal with the embarrassment of leaving the hospital in a pair of scrubs.  You silently thanked Dave as you got dressed and pressed the button to alert the nurses that you were ready. The same nurse came back in with a wheelchair and assisted you with getting into it before wheeling you out of the room. You smiled as you spotted Dave, his back turned to you as he was on the phone. As if sensing your presence, he turned around and hung up the phone.</p><p>“Hi,” you said as he bent down to give you a peck.</p><p>“Ready to go home?” he asked, and you nodded in reply. The nurse pushed you through the hospital until you made it to the entrance of the building where you spied Dave’s SUV. He opened the passenger door for you and helped maneuver you into the seat before shutting it firmly behind you. He thanked the nurse as he made his way around the vehicle and got into the driver’s seat.</p><p>“The girls are excited to see you,” he said with a smile as he started the car and began the journey back home. You smiled as you thought of Molly and Alice.\</p><p>“Do they know what happened?” you inquired. Dave nodded his head solemnly.</p><p>“Carol made it sound like you’d left because she was back, and the girls got upset. So, I had to explain to them what happened. I left out all the details, but they know you were taken but you’re back now,” Dave said as he moved a hand to grasp yours gently, stroking it tenderly. “I told them that I didn’t want what happened to you to happen to them and to never get into a car with a stranger.” You let out a little laugh at the statement.</p><p>“Leave it to you to turn it into a lesson for them,” you said with a shake of your head. Dave shrugged at your response but gave you a little smile.</p><p>“I had to come up with something.”</p><p>“I know. It’s pretty sweet of you to do that for them,” you said. “So, I hate to ask, but it’s been nagging at me for a while, but what happens now?” Dave cocked his head at you, pretending not to know what you were asking about.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean about Tom. I know that you can make people disappear, Dave. Are you going to make him disappear too or will I have to go through the whole song and dance of going to court again?” Dave looked at you and rolled his eyes. Of course, you’d still sass him even after going through such a traumatic experience.</p><p>“Do you want me to make him disappear?” Dave bluntly asked. You took a moment to answer him, not wanting to answer too quickly in fear of how he’d respond. But then again, he was a trained killer.</p><p>“Yes,” you replied. “I want him to never bother us again.”</p><p>“Good, because I’ve already got things set in motion,” Dave replied coolly. You rolled your eyes at his response.</p><p>“Of course, they are,” you replied. “I had one more question though.”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Can I be there when it happens?” you asked shyly. Dave was surprised by your statement. He’d thought that you wouldn’t want to be witness to his act of violence that he had in store for Tom, but it would appear that your thirst for vengeance rivaled his own.</p><p>“I want to be there when the light leaves his eyes,” you venomously spat out. “I want him to see that I’m there in his final moments and that he will never ever be able to have me.” Dave tried not to let the thought of you being there while he disposed of Tom turn him on. He felt his cock stir at how accepting you were that he’d be torturing and killing Tom, and he knew he was a goner for you. <em>Fuck, she’s fucking perfect.</em></p><p>“You can have anything you want, baby girl. He took something away from us, so it’s only fair we take something from him,” Dave replied with a smirk. You grinned over at him, feeling a little guilty that you wanted Tom gone, but knowing that he wouldn’t have spared you any mercy had you not escaped.</p><p>“I was planning on going to the safe house tonight to take care of him, but if you want, we can move up the timetable and go after we stop by the house so you can see the girls. They’ve been asking about you and I told them we’d be home after I picked you up.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan,” you replied as you tilted your head back against the headrest and closed your eyes. “Wake me up when we get home.” <em>Home.</em> The last few times Dave had said that your heart had done circles in your chest. He’d been referring to you coming back to their home as <em>home</em> and you weren’t exactly sure what to make of it. Was he just being nice or was there something more?</p><p>The drive home had taken a little time, but eventually, you arrived. The girls had been thrilled with your return and, luckily, Carol had made herself scarce after greeting you. You had looked at Dave questioningly, but he only answered you with a shrug. You’d ask him about all that later. After a few minutes of being with the girls, Dave had told them that you both needed to go to your apartment to pick up a few things and would be back later in the day. Your heart jumped at the thought that you’d be seeing Tom soon and would finally be rid of him, once and for all. Molly and Alice had said bye to you with a kiss to each cheek and you’d both gone back to Dave’s SUV. He took out his phone and sent off a quick text before putting the vehicle in reverse and driving away from the house.</p><p>“The boys know that we’re on the way. If you feel uncomfortable at any time while we do this, you let me know, ok?” Dave said as he squeezed your hand. You were still getting used to Dave showing this much concern and affection for you, but you took it in stride.</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” you replied as you squeezed his hand back and looked out the window. You watched as the scenery changed. Houses turned into fields of grass before they turned into trees. Finally, you pulled up to a house out in the middle of nowhere and Dave stopped the car, the two of you getting out and you gazed at the house in awe.</p><p>“Where are we?” You questioned.</p><p>“A safe house,” Dave replied. “We typically use this as a base of operations.”</p><p>“We?” You curiously asked. At that, the front door of the house opened and three men stepped out. They all looked very intimidating and you looked at Dave for an explanation.</p><p>“These are the boys. Resnik, Ari, and Kovac,” Dave answered for you, pointing at each of the men as he said their names. Each of them waved back and you nodded.</p><p>“Nice to meet you all,” you replied. “I wish it were under better circumstances though.” The one named Resnik nodded and offered you a smile.</p><p>“We heard that you’re looking forward to this,” he stated. “Son of a bitch has been a pain in the ass.” You nodded at his words and shifted from foot to foot.</p><p>“Yeah, I’ve been thinking of nothing else since I woke up yesterday. I’m looking forward to being rid of this nightmare.” They all nodded as Dave took your hand and led you into the house, the three men following behind you. You felt overwhelmed with their presence but were at ease at the same time. You trusted Dave with your life and knowing that he had a team to back him up made you feel better. They felt like your bodyguards and you internally laughed. <em>It makes sense. They’re all huge guys and could probably kill someone just as easily as Dave could.</em> As Dave weaved through the house you couldn’t help but admire the inside of it. It was decorated like any other home, but you walked by a room that changed all that. It was filled with countless monitors with what appeared to be video feeds of the entire property. You spied one monitor in particular and you tugged on Dave’s hand to stop so you could get a closer look. Upon inspection, you saw that it was Tom tied to a chair, much like how he’d had you when he’d taken you, and you smiled. <em>That son of a bitch was going to pay.</em></p><p>“Where is he?” You asked as you pointed to the screen. Dave didn’t answer you but instead tugged your hand to bring you to the backdoor. He took you through it and your breath caught in your throat. You were greeted by a large very inconspicuous-looking barn. You followed Dave as he walked through it and you were again surprised by the interior. The outside was completely misleading because inside it was decked out with countless guns lining the walls. On one wall you could see more monitors and what looked to be electronics, and you spied a door on another wall. You pointed to the door with a raise of your eyebrow and Dave nodded.</p><p>“Are you ready for this?” Dave asked you, stepping in front of you taking your hands into his own as he brought them to his lips.</p><p>“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you replied. Dave kissed your knuckles and nodded and then turned you both to walk towards the door. He opened the door and you walked through, seeing Tom in the chair, blood covering his face, one eye was swollen shut.</p><p>“Looks like the boys have been keeping him very comfortable,” Dave joked, and you let out a little laugh. At Dave’s voice, Tom’s head shot up as he watched the two of you walk towards him.</p><p>“Hi baby,” you mocked as you looked at Tom with hate. Tom cringed as Dave came up to him and placed his hand on the back of Tom’s neck.</p><p>“She said hello,” Dave said as he squeezed Tom’s neck. Tom let out a cough as he looked up at you.</p><p>“You - you fucking bitch,” Tom managed to breathe out. Dave quickly punched Tom in the stomach causing the man to cough and spit up blood. You took a step back from him, not wanting to get any blood on you.</p><p>“You took everything from me, you asshole,” you jeered at him. “Now, you’re going to pay.” Tom let out a laugh, but it was cut short as Dave had taken out a knife and held it to his throat. He looked over at you as if asking for permission and all you did was nod. Dave nicked Tom’s throat very slightly, just enough to draw blood but not actually cause much harm, and Tom sharply inhaled. Dave then grabbed Tom’s hair and pulled his head back and looked him in the eye.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>-VIOLENCE AHEAD-</strong> </em>
</p><p>“Before I get started, I want you to look into my eyes and know that I will take great pleasure in making you suffer just as much as you made her suffer,” Dave said as Tom’s eyes widened. “You’re going to suffer as you’ve never suffered before, and then I’m going to kill you, just like you did to our baby.” Tom’s one good eye widened at the implication behind Dave’s words. Dave looked into Tom’s eyes and saw fear in them, and Dave smirked at him evilly before driving the knife through one of Tom’s fingers, effectively cutting it off. Tom let out a blood-curdling scream as he felt the knife drive between the bones and felt the blood seep out of the open wound. You shut your eyes for a brief moment at the action but steeled yourself, knowing that it was just the beginning and you didn’t want to miss a single moment. You opened them back up at the sound of Tom letting out another scream as Dave cut off another finger, this time closer to the knuckle. You watched as Dave continued to sever each of Tom’s fingers one by one, and each time Tom let out a scream you felt a sense of pride that Dave was doing all of this for you. As sick and twisted as it was, he cared, and you were overjoyed knowing that he was doing something so immensely violent because you asked him to. You felt a familiar rush of heat between your legs as you watched Dave begin to carve into Tom’s chest. <em>I’m fucking sick, but I guess Dave and I are just a match made in Heaven.</em></p><p>Tom’s screams filled the air as Dave cut shallowly into his chest and stomach, not enough to make him bleed out just yet. You watched intently as Dave pulled Tom’s head back by his hair once more before gouging out Tom’s eye with two fingers. Tom let out another bone-chilling scream as his eye dangled out of his head. Dave looked over at you and you looked back at him, completely unbothered by the grotesque events before you. You nodded to him to continue and he nodded back before stabbing the knife into Tom’s thigh, right by the kneecap. Tom’s scream turned into wails of terror as he began to beg.</p><p>“Please, I’m sorry,” he pleaded. “I’m so sorry.” His pleas fell on deaf ears as Dave took the opportunity to pull the knife out and plunge it into Tom’s foot. Tom changed tactics and tried to address you, hoping you’d take pity and have Dave top.</p><p>“Please, please. I am so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” You rolled your eyes at how pathetic he was, and Dave seemed to share your sentiment. He tilted Tom’s head back and grabbed Tom’s tongue. Tom tried to bite Dave’s fingers as Dave wrangled his tongue out before clamping it with forceps that were on a table beside him. You hadn’t noticed before, but the table was littered with an assortment of medical tools, but instead of being used to assist in saving someone’s life, they were being used to end it. Tom’s wailed as best as he could with his tongue hanging out, and he knew what was about to happen. Dave took a scalpel from the table and proceeded to cleanly sever Tom’s tongue, blood gushing out onto Tom’s shirt and the floor. Tom howled in anguish as he tasted blood and swallowed some of it. Dave was taking great pleasure in Tom’s misery, but time was running short and he needed to end it soon. But not just yet. Dave the scalpel and sliced into Dave’s arm, peeling back the skin to expose some muscle as Tom sobbed from the pain. His body was on fire and he just wanted to be put out of his agony. Dave sliced into Tom’s arms some more, cutting flaps of skin off of him before taking Tom’s ear into his hand and slicing it off too. Tom let out an ear-piercing shriek as Dave took off his other ear, dropping both to the floor with a wet plop. You looked at the clock on your phone and were surprised at how much time had passed. It seemed that Dave had indeed been taking his sweet time in making Tom suffer, but you both needed to get home soon, and you were growing tired of Tom’s wail of discomfort.</p><p>Dave took a moment to wipe some blood off his hands and looked over at you. He was greeted with the sight of you, head tilted to the side, eyebrows raised with a small smile playing on your lips. He watched as you sauntered over to him, hips swaying, before coming to a stop in front of him. You stood on your toes and planted a little kiss on his lips before breaking away and looking down at Tom. Blood covered him from head to toe and he was a sight for sore eyes. You’d been surprised with yourself that you hadn’t let the sadistic acts of violence cause you to lose your nerve. You hadn’t vomited at the sight of blood, or the sight of Dave slicing and dicing into Tom. You cocked your head to the side as you looked between his legs before nudging Dave and pointing down. Dave raised his eyebrows at you, understanding what you were asking of him to do. You grinned at him and took a step back.</p><p>“I want them both gone,” you sternly said. Dave nodded before he untied Tom’s legs and nudged them apart. Tom groaned at the movement and his breathing picked up at the realization of what was to come. He moaned out as he shook his head in protest as Dave unzipped Tom’s pants and pulled out his testicles.</p><p>“Wow, baby, you really did a number on him,” Dave tutted you as he saw your handiwork. Tom’s penis had been shaved down to a two-inch nub and he could imagine how you’d sunk your teeth into the flesh and ripped the disgusting appendage off with nothing but your bare teeth and sheer willpower. Dave felt a sense of sick pride course through him at how you’d inflicted your own wounds onto Tom, and he was about to take away what was left of Tom’s dignity. Without wasting any more time Dave took hold of one of Tom’s prized possessions and parted it from his body with a slow stroke of the scalpel. Tom threw his head back with another scream before Dave repeated the action to his second family jewel before he stuffed them both into Tom’s mouth to muffle his howls.</p><p>“Enough of this,” Dave finally said as he drew a gun from the back of his pants. Tom whimpered as he heard the gun cock and flinched away.</p><p>“Wait,” you said, putting your hand onto Dave’s shoulder. Dave looked at you puzzled, unsure if you still wanted this. “I want to be the one to do it.” The moment the words left your mouth Dave’s cock again twitched and he grew aroused at your determination to take back your power.</p><p>“Are you sure, sweetheart? There’s no coming back from this,” Dave said, wanting to give you a chance to back out from committing your only act of murder. You shook your head as you took the gun from his hands, feeling the weight in your palm.</p><p>“I’m sure,” you responded. “He took everything from us, and I want to be the one to take it all away from him.” Dave shook his head in slight disbelief but let you move to stand in front of Tom. He came to stand behind you and put his hands on your hips as he watched you bring the gun up and level it with Tom’s head. Tom’s one swollen eye was open enough just to see you hold the gun up to his forehead and he shook his head, muffled pleas coming from him. You looked down the barrel of the gun as you aimed.</p><p>“Fuck you, asshole,” you spat at him before pulling the trigger.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Clean Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Summary: Dave and Reader deal with the aftermath of Tom’s death. Sexy times ensure.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Blood, graphic descriptions of disposing a body (I watch way too many crime and CSI shows and movies), SMUT, unprotected sex, oral sex (female receiving) fingering, some anal play, language, breeding kink, dirty talk, some degradation, Daddy kink, Soft!Dave</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h2>
  <b>BANG!</b>
</h2><p>The gun went off with a resounding echo in the room. You lowered your hand as you looked down at Tom’s body, head cocked back from the force of the bullet entering his brain. Grey matter caked the ground behind him, and blood trickled down his forehead where a gaping hole sat. Your chest was heaving from the adrenaline of what you had done. You had killed a man in cold blood, and you had felt no guilt. You only felt freedom. Freedom from his reign and terror. A weight had been lifted from your chest at the realization that Tom was gone for good. He would never be able to hurt you anymore and you would never have to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life, worried that he would be lurking in the shadows. You looked at his corpse and smiled. You felt Dave’s hand squeeze your hips and you turned to face him, his eyes showing concern but also pride at your actions.</p><p>“I did it,” you said. “He’s really gone.” Dave nodded at your words and brought his lips down to yours.</p><p>“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart,” he replied, as he pressed his forehead to yours. You liked this side of Dave that he never showed anyone else. To everyone else in his life, besides his daughters and you, he was a hardened man who was not to be trifled with. But with you, he had shown affection and protectiveness that you had never seen from anyone before. You knew that Dave would do anything for you now. He had taken it upon himself to make sure that Tom would never be in your lives and had shown concern in you committing murder, but let you do it anyways. You wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off from the act of vengeance you had both carried out. You pulled Dave’s face back to yours and kissed him with vigor, deepening it as you stood in front of Tom’s body. Dave pulled back after a moment and looked at you.</p><p>“Baby girl, as much as I want to ravage you right here and now, we have more pressing matters to attend to,” Dave said as he nodded towards Tom’s body. You let out a sigh at the idea that you would have to get rid of his body now. What a pain.</p><p>“And how do you suggest we do that?” You asked him with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“That, my dear, you do not have to worry about,” Dave replied.</p><p>“Dave, as fragile as you think I am, I just shot a man. I’m pretty sure I can handle getting rid of a body,” you retorted. Dave pondered things for a moment. If only you had gone through the training he had, you would both be unstoppable. But alas, you had not. Dave knew that you would be a quick study if you put your mind to it and he decided that he would teach you some things, especially if the police happened to come sniffing around. He knew that there was little chance for that to happen since he had connections everywhere, but he still did not want to risk it.</p><p>“Fine, but you have to listen to what I tell you,” he finally said. You smiled and nodded. Dave pulled out his phone and typed out a quick message, and within minutes Ari and Kovac came in. Dave pointed to Tom’s body and Ari nodded. They went to a door and pulled out a tarp and rope, walking back over to Tom’s body and untied it from the chair. They then moved it to lay on the tarp before rolling his body in it. They hoisted it up like it weighed nothing and walked through another door at the other end of the room.</p><p>“Follow me,” Dave instructed as he walked through the door. You eagerly followed him, wanting to know exactly what they would do to get rid of the body. Once you walked through the door you were again in awe of what you saw. Hacksaws and pliers sat on a table on one side of the room and jugs of mysterious liquid and some hammers were lined on the other side. In the middle was a very large plastic tub and the boys deposited Tom’s body into it.</p><p>“Watch and learn, baby girl,” Dave said as he leaned against a counter and nodded to Ari. You watched intrigued as Ari picked up a set of pliers and Kovac tiled Tom’s head back, opening his mouth. Ari then proceeded to rip Tom’s teeth out one at a time, blood further spilling out onto Tom’s body. Ari placed each tooth into a container until all Tom’s teeth were in it. Kovac then grabbed two hacksaws, and you watched as the two of them began to saw parts of Tom’s body off. First his hands at the wrists. Then his forearms at the elbows. Then his upper arms at the shoulders. Ari and Kovac then continued with his legs, his feet at the ankles, then his calf to the knee, and finally his thighs to the pelvis. You watched intently as they dismembered your ex-boyfriend with ease and piled his body parts in the plastic tub. Ari walked over to pick up the jug of mysterious liquid and you caught sight of the label. Sulfuric acid, it read. You wondered how Dave was able to get his hands on such a chemical, but then again, he had connections all over the place, so you guessed that it had something to do with that. You observed Ari pour the liquid into the plastic tub and within moments you watched at Tom’s body began to sizzle as the liquid made contact. The room filled with a pungent smell and it made you gag slightly at the rank scent. Dave flipped on a switch and you heard a whir of a fan and the fumes began to disappear. While the liquid did its job, you watched a Kovac took Tom’s teeth and poured some more of the liquid into the plastic container that held them. Dave turned to you and motioned for you to exit the room while Ari and Kovac cleaned up the rest of Tom’s body, wiping off some blood and getting a hose to spray it down. You watched as the red liquid drained into a hole in the corner and were mesmerized. Dave really had quite the setup. You walked back through the door and saw that Resnik was doing the same in the room you had killed Tom in, hosing down the blood around the chair and letting it drain into another hole in the floor that was located under the table. Small details that you had missed when you had first come into the room.</p><p>Dave walked you through the first room and led you outside. You took a deep breath at the clean smell of fresh air and heaved out a sigh as you turned to face him.</p><p>“Explain please,” you said as you crossed your arms. “I’ve only ever heard of that kind of shit from shows like Breaking Bad, but wow.” Dave chuckled at your tone.</p><p>“I’ve been in this industry for quite a while and making people disappear has been our forte,” Dave replied with a shrug. “We make sure that if someone needs to disappear that there’s no trace of them at all. Whether that is through an accident or by doing this, we make sure that there’s no way a body can be found.”</p><p>“And how are you going to explain Tom’s disappearance when it would be obvious that I’m connected to him and he disappears the day I get out of the hospital?”</p><p>“I’ve already taken care of that too,” Dave replied coolly. “Tom’s been arranged to be lost in transit, having escaped. The police will try to track him down, but just like before he’ll have evaded them.” You nodded your head at Dave’s explanation. Dave had told you on the drive to his house earlier that Tom had been hidden away the entire time you had been missing. The authorities could not even find him, so there was a big chance that he would do it again. It was a very plausible thing that could happen so you knew the police would believe it.</p><p>“Besides,” Dave continued, “I have connections in the police department which is why it was so easy for us to get Tom in the first place.” You felt hot at Dave’s words. The fact that he had everything planned out every step of the way made a heat rush to your core and you wanted to know more about him. You wanted to explore this newfound side of him, the deadly killer side that he had done so well at hiding from everyone else in his life. You lifted your head to the sky and let out a relieved sigh, holding your hand up to shield your eyes from the sky and spotting some blood that had somehow gotten on your hands.</p><p>“I want to get cleaned up,” you said to Dave as you turned towards him. “I want to get the last of Tom off of me.” Dave nodded and led you into the house. Walking up the stairs behind him and down a hallway, you saw several rooms, each looking very different from the other.</p><p>“Do you sometimes live here?” You inquired.</p><p>“Yes, whenever we are working a job nearby, we stay here. We have several safe houses throughout the country and overseas. We need to have a secure base of operations whenever we’re working.” You nodded at his explanation. <em>Of course, he would have fucking houses everywhere.</em></p><p>“Will you take me sometime?” You asked with hope. You had always wanted to travel and thought about going with Dave while he worked a job overseas. You knew you obviously would not be able to come with him while he fulfilled his deadly task of eliminating people, but you could always explore the city or something.</p><p>“I’ll think about it, baby,” Dave replied, thinking about how you would be there to warm his bed after he disposed of someone whose name he would only know from a piece of paper. He liked the idea that you would be laying in bed waiting for him to return and ravage you endlessly, knowing that he had just killed someone. The fact that you were curious and so accepting of his double life made his feelings for you grow even further. <em>Fuck, she is so perfect.</em> Dave felt his pants tighten at the image of one day teaching you some of his skills so you would not only be able to defend yourself but help him with some of his assignments too. Being a woman in the field had its advantages, many of which could come in handy in times where a man would not be able to get the job done as easily. Dave led you to a room at the end of the hall and you instantly knew that it was his. From the meticulous way it was organized down to the colors and furniture, he had used to decorate. Truly a man of many talents, unless he had hired some interior designer to do it of course. That, you doubted. Dave walked over to a door on the left of the room and opened it, gesturing for you to go inside before him. You glided through the door and looked at the bathroom with wide eyes. The bathroom was massive, with a whirlpool tub that you had only dreamed of and a rainfall shower right next to it with a bench on either side. A double sink sat on one end with an expansive mirror right above it. Dave had a bathroom that you had only dreamed of, and you wanted to get a lot of use from it.</p><p>You walked over to the shower and turned it on, feeling the spray of the hot water right away. Dave came up behind you as you had bent over to turn on the water and placed his hands on your hips, slowly lifting your shirt up. You lifted your arms so he could remove it, before turning to face him. He expertly unclasped your bra and you let it fall to the floor. You stood on your toes placing a kiss on his lips as you unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, before untucking his undershirt from his pants. You felt a stiffness press against your leg, and you moved your hand to cup him over his pants. Dave panted into your mouth at the contact as he unzipped your pants and pushed them down your legs, followed by your underwear. Wetness had pooled in your center and you wanted him. You quickly followed his lead and unzipped his pants and pushed them off, pleasantly surprised when you found that he was bare underneath. You let out a moan as you grasped his cock in your hand and began to stroke. Dave suddenly grabbed your hand to stop you and you broke away from the kiss in confusion.</p><p>“Let’s get cleaned up first,” Dave said as he saw his hands were still dotted with blood. You groaned at his slight rejection and turned around with a pout, getting into the shower and welcoming the heat against your body. Dave shook his head at your antics and slapped your ass as he stepped under the hot spray of water with you, pulling your back to him and groping your breasts. He pressed his length into the crevice between your ass cheeks while leaning down to nip at your ear as the water washed over you. The blood on his hands began to wash away and swirl into the drain and you thought about how Tom had taken away yours and Dave’s child. You yearned for it with Dave, a family of your own. Tom had taken that away. You turned around and faced Dave as the water hit your face from above and you moved your hands to rest on the back of his neck. You placed your head against his chest as he moved to get some shampoo and began to massage it through your scalp.</p><hr/><p>“Dave?” you finally spoke as he worked the suds through your hair and tilted your head back to get the front of your hairline.</p><p>“Hmm?” he responded, enamored with the sight of you, water running down your body washing the shampoo away, lust in your eyes.</p><p>“Put another baby into me,” you commanded. Dave’s cock pressed against your lower belly and you felt it twitch in response to your words. “Tom took away our child and I want you to pump me so full that we get a second chance.”</p><p>Dave gazed down at you at your words, feeling his cock harden even more at the thought of you pregnant with his baby, this time carrying it to full term. He loved the idea of you being round with his child and he bent down and captured your mouth in a heated kiss. He walked you backward until your back hit the wall of the shower as he lifted your leg and wrapped it around his hips, opening you up to him. He dipped a finger into you and was greeted with your slick. He let out a groan. He was already so hot for you after watching you kill Tom and he ached to bury himself inside of you.</p><p>You were also craving him after seeing him do unspeakable things, knowing what he was doing would frighten most people but instead, it had ignited a fire within your soul. You never knew that you could feel this way, but the realization that you could be so cold-hearted yet feel so much for one man did not phase you. You knew that it made you fucked up in the head, but frankly you just did not care anymore. You had gone through so much in your life because of Tom and that had made you jaded. The world had done nothing but give you hardship and you had almost died because of it. Now you had taken back control of your life with Dave’s help. You were going to be forever grateful to him. Dave had saved you in more ways than one and you were a changed woman. You had taken back the power that was taken away from you and you enjoyed the thrill of it. He gave you the freedom that you never had.</p><p>You clutched onto Dave as he slipped a second finger inside of you and began to pump slowly, making you break the kiss to lean your head back against the wall of the shower. The cool tile helped to quell the electricity within you, but Dave’s fingers working their magic made your body heat up. His thumb began to trace circles over your clit and your knees grew weak. Dave felt your legs begin to shake from the pleasure and he held your leg up firmly, making sure to support your weight as he sped up his movements. The pleasure he was giving you coupled with the fact that you had both just killed a man (well he had tortured him, but you were the one who pulled the trigger) fed the climb into your climax. You remembered the feel of the gun’s weight in your hands as you squeezed the trigger and watched the life leave Tom. You remembered how sexy Dave looked carving Tom up. <em>How fucked up is it that I crave the rush even more?</em></p><p>You felt your orgasm build as Dave added a third finger into your drenched pussy and curled upwards. Your body exploded in pleasure as it ripped through you like a freight train, eyes rolling to the back of your head and legs shaking. Dave leaned down and bit on your shoulder. The action made you clutch onto him for dear life as your legs finally gave out beneath you. He caught you and moved so he was sitting on the bench as you straddled his lap.</p><p>“You want me to put a baby in you, baby girl?” Dave huskily said as he rubbed the tip of his cock against your entrance, teasing you as you whined and nodded.</p><p>“Please, Daddy, pump me full of your cum,” you replied as you tried to slip his cock inside of you, but he kept moving it away. Dave grinned at your begging and finally gave you what you both wanted as he pushed you down onto his cock, impaling you with his length. You threw your head back as you held onto his shoulders. He moved you up and down slowly, gliding in and out with ease.</p><p>“Fuck, baby girl, you like riding Daddy’s cock like this?” Dave asked with a groan.</p><p>“Yes, Daddy, I love it,” you said eagerly, bouncing up and down on him.</p><p>“You like that Daddy tortured a man for you today, baby girl?” Dave asked as he increased the pace, bucking his hips into you harshly. You moaned out at his movements.</p><p>“Yes! Yes, Daddy, that was fucking hot,” you wailed as he leaned you back and engulfed your nipple into his mouth.</p><p>“Fucking loved watching me tear into someone?”</p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>“You’re such a fucked up dirty girl, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Yes. I’m your dirty girl, Daddy,” you shrieked out as Dave hit a sweet spot in your pussy.</p><p>“Ughh fuck, you’re a little cock slut, aren’t you? Taking my cock so well after putting a bullet into Tom’s fucking head.”</p><p>“Mmm yes.”</p><p>“I bet you got wet just watching me, sick girl,” Dave groaned out, feeling your walls clench around him.</p><p>“Ughh yes, Daddy.”</p><p>“You’re so fucking perfect for me, baby girl,” Dave said as he felt his cock throb, nearing his peak. “So sick in the head but so fucking sexy.” You whimpered as you clenched your walls around him. Hearing him say that you were perfect for him filled you with pride.</p><p>“Fucking fill me up, Daddy,” you said as you groped your own breasts and pinched the nipples as Dave supported your back, brutally thrusting into you. You knew that there would be bruises there in the morning.</p><p>“Fucking dirty whore, wanting my cum like a desperate bitch.”</p><p>“Yes, Daddy, please,” you begged.</p><p>“You want my cum, baby?”</p><p>“Yes!”</p><p>“Fuckkkk, I’m going to cum in this tight little pussy baby girl. Take it like the good girl you are,” Dave grunted out as he felt his balls tighten and begin to spray his seed into you. At the sensation of his cum painting your walls you clamped down on his cock and came with him, screaming out his name. You did not care that the boys could probably hear you. Dave held onto you as you both came down from your highs and you leaned your head against his shoulder. He stood you both up and moved you back under the hot spray of water. You were impressed that the water was still running very hot after that sexcapade. You felt his cum drip down your leg as you stood under the showerhead. You silently prayed that his seed would plant itself within you again and you would grow round with his child.</p><hr/><p>Dave tenderly washed you as you ran your fingers over his chest and arms, admiring his physique and how roughly he handled you moments ago. You spent a while longer in the shower before you both exited and Dave handed you a plush towel. You wrapped it around you and made your way back into the room, eyeing the big bed in the middle and taking a seat on the edge. Dave joined you in the room, a towel wrapped low on his hips as he walked over to the closet and opened it before walking in. He reappeared carrying some clothes in his hands. You were surprised that they were your size.</p><p>“You have clothes for me here?” You asked curiously.</p><p>“I like to be prepared,” Dave coolly replied, and you nodded. <em>It makes sense considering what he does.</em> You let out a yawn as you stretched the towel. It barely held onto your body and Dave’s eyes zeroed in on your chest, ready to burst from the confines of the said towel. He felt his cock twitch again beneath the towel and mentally groaned. He had told the girls that he would be back later with you and he was not about to break that promise. They had been excited to see you earlier and he knew that they would want to spend time with you now that you were back. Besides, he had to get back to the house since Carol was still there and he did not want her there longer than she had to be.</p><p>Dave watched you intently as you stood up and dropped the towel, revealing your body to his ever-observant eyes. He would never get tired of the sight of your naked body, always ready for him. You looked at him with a teasing smile on your lips as you seductively got on all fours on the bed, ass facing him, and crawled up to the pillows. He licked his lips as he gazed at your ass and pussy, cum leaking out and onto the bed. <em>Fuck it</em>, he thought before he dropped the towel and dove onto the bed to feast on your cunt. He lapped at it as he held your hips up. You moaned out at the feel of his tongue gliding against your lips before dipping into your hole, drinking down your combined juices. He savored the taste of you both on his tongue and he increased his pace, slipping his tongue down to lap at your clit while he buried two fingers inside you.</p><p>“Oh, Daddy!” You said as he drove his fingers in and out of you. After a few moments, he removed his fingers and replaced them with his tongue, rubbing your clit as his tongue buried itself inside of you again. You sounded like a bitch in heat and you knew you would come if he kept this up. You felt his wet tongue glide up and meet the puckered rim of your unoccupied hole and it sent a shiver down your spine. You had yet to have Dave fuck you in the ass, and your pussy clenched at the thought of him behind you, tongue licking at your ass as his fingers worked their magic on your clit. Dave moved his hand so his thumb was rubbing at your clit while three of his fingers plunged into you. His tongue worked against your hole, dipping in ever so slightly. The sensations overwhelmed you and you felt your walls begin to throb before they clamped down around his fingers, tipping over the edge. Cum seeped out of your pussy and onto the bed as he withdrew his fingers from you and placed a final lick on your two openings, relishing in how sweet you tasted. He wanted to fuck your ass, but he would wait until he had more time to prepare you. He did not want to tear you open when he drove his cock into your tight hole. His cock jerked against his stomach at the thought of filling your ass with his cock and cum. <em>Soon</em>, he promised himself.</p><p>He got up onto his knees as you collapsed on the bed, exhaustion coursing through you. Dave looked at the clock on the nightstand and read the time out. 3:43 pm. You would both had been preoccupied for hours now and he knew he would have to be home by 7 pm at the latest, so you had some time to rest before you both needed to go back. Dave pulled the covers back on the bed and climbed up so he could lay against the headboard and pulled you to him. He rested your head against his chest as he rubbed your back. He listened to your breathing begin to even out and mentally made a note to get things taken care of with Carol soon. He reached over and set an alarm to wake you both in a few hours and gazed down at you. You let out a sigh as you drifted off to sleep, but Dave froze as he heard you mutter.</p><p>“I love you,” you said so quietly that he almost missed it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Turmoil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave deals with Reader’s confession. More confessions ensue.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Fluff, PWP, angst, SMUT! Unprotected sex (Please wrap it before you tap it!), vaginal penetration, fingering, hair pulling, Daddy kink, oral sex (male receiving), some spanking, anal penetration. SOFT!DAVE, 18+ only please!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave sat there watching you sleep, mind reeling from your confession. You loved him? Him, the one who tortured a man while you watched? Who killed people for a living? He knew that you both were tied together now due to the unspeakable acts you had both committed, but he did not know just how deeply his feelings ran for you. Did he feel the same way as you? When things first began you were just a plaything to him. He enjoyed having someone younger to have at his beck and call, someone who took care of the girls like they were her own. But things had slowly changed along the way. When that had happened, Dave was not exactly sure, but they had changed. Ever since you had gone missing Dave had felt a fire that he had never felt before, and he was not sure what to make of it. He was conflicted in his feelings because he never got too close to anyone. Not even Carol, and she was the mother of his two children. After all, in his line of work he had to be careful. Since he had gotten you back, and you had responded the way you did to Tom’s death, unphased and finding some twisted enjoyment out of it, Dave knew that he felt strongly for you. He was not exactly sure just what he felt for you, but he knew that it was strong. <em>Was it love?</em></p><p>He brushed some hair out of your face, watching as your nose crinkled at the action and you snuggled yourself closer to him, seeking out his heat. He gazed down at you, observing the peacefulness of you sleeping. He admired the plumpness of your lips, the way your nose would twitch as you slept, the way your body fit so perfectly against his. Dave shook his head with a slight smile as he tilted his head back against the headboard, closing his eyes and relishing in the mix of your scent mixed with the scent of sex. Within moments Dave fell asleep with you tightly tucked into his arms.</p><hr/><p>The alarm blared, and Dave groaned, reaching an arm over to shut it off. He opened his eyes looking down and saw that the alarm did not wake him. He slowly untangled himself from you and got dressed, looking at the time on his watch. 6:17 pm. He had just enough time to wake you and make it back to the house in time to make dinner for the girls and send Carol on her way.  He gazed down at your sleeping form, half tempted not to wake you, wanting nothing more than to lay in bed with you as long as he could, but knew that he had to. The girls were eager to see you after months of being away and he knew that you missed them just as much. Dave leaned down and softly kissed your exposed shoulder, peppering kisses up to your neck.</p><p>“Wake up, baby girl,” he said into your ear, seeing it twitch under his hot breath. You groaned at the sound of his voice and slowly opened your eyes. You turned your head to meet Dave’s eyes and gave him a sleepy smile.</p><p>“What time is it?” you asked as he stood back up and watched you stretch, watching the blanket drop from your body, exposing your bare chest to him. Dave gulped at the sight and willed the beginning of his arousal away.</p><p>“It’s 6:20. We need to head back home soon,” Dave regretfully replied. You arched your back in a stretch and Dave turned his eyes away, knowing if you kept this up that you both would end up in bed again and would most definitely be late getting home. You swung your legs over the side of the bed and saw the clothes that he had given you earlier laying in a heap on the floor. You picked them up and began to dress, feeling Dave’s watchful eye on you. Once fully dressed you turned to face him, hands on your hips.</p><p>“Let’s get going before we’re late,” you said as you turned and made your way down the hall and out of the house. You spotted the boys sitting in the living room, sipping on some beers, and waved at them, smiling as they waved back. They were a little too nonchalant after having to dispose of a body, but then again that was what they did on a semi-regular basis so you should not have been surprised. Dave followed you and nodded to the boys as he walked out, silently thanking them for a job well done, and made his way to the car, seeing you already sitting in the passenger’s seat.</p><p>“Let’s get home,” he said as he pulled out of the driveway and began the journey home. You were anxious to see the girls again and could not stop your knee from bouncing and Dave placed a hand on your knee to still you.</p><p>“Sorry, I’m just a little anxious to finally spend time with them after everything. Seeing them earlier wasn’t enough time,” you said. Dave nodded and took your hand in his, giving you a reassuring squeeze.</p><p>“It’s going to be fine,” he said as he continued to drive. It felt like an eternity but eventually, you pulled up to the house. You saw the shine of lights through the window and got out of the car, Dave placed his hand on the small of your back as he guided you through the door. You made your way to the kitchen and saw that Carol had already started on dinner while the girls sat at the table, Molly reading a book and Alice drawing a picture. Carol looked up at the two of you as you entered and scowled at the sight of Dave’s hand on you but quickly hid it as Dave shot her an annoyed look. You ignored her obvious displeasure and made your way over to the girls. They looked up and squealed seeing you, quickly getting up to engulf you in a hug.</p><p>“You’re back!” they exclaimed as you laughed and sat down with them. Alice held up a picture with a grin.</p><p>“I drew this for you,” she said as she pointed to the figures in the picture. There were four figures in it and each one was labeled. Molly, Alice, Daddy, Mommy. You smiled down at her, heart dropping at the sight of “Mommy” written in the image.</p><p>“That’s beautiful, Alice,” you said with a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“It is! I missed you so much that I drew a picture of our family!” You were shocked at her words. She drew the picture and said it was her family but drew it because she missed you. Your breath caught in your throat at her insinuation.  That meant – you cleared your throat as you patted her shoulder.</p><p>“I love it,” you replied. You looked over your shoulder at Dave and saw his eyes glow with something you did not recognize and spied Carol with a frown on her face. She clearly saw the drawing and was not happy about it. Her daughters were already replacing her, and she was upset. She knew that she had brought this on herself but did not think that her daughters would acknowledge you as their mother so easily. The last several months had put a strain on her relationship with them and they had begun to call her Carol, slowly drawing away from calling her mom. She cleared her throat as she walked over to the other side of the counter and picked up her keys.</p><p>“I’m going to go,” she spoke as Dave took over making dinner, allowing you to sit and bond with the girls. Dave ignored her statement, but you looked over at her and kindly smiled.</p><p>“Have a good night, Carol,” you bid her as she exited the kitchen. Even if she hated you, you would kill the bitch with kindness.</p><hr/><p>Dinner with the girls was a little eventful. They had been chattering away with you, catching you up with what you had missed the last few months, and you were overjoyed. You had missed them immensely and your heart warmed to know that they missed you just as much. You felt like a mother to them and wanted nothing more than to give them that. But you were not sure if that would ever happen. As much as Dave had shown a different side of himself to you, it was still a long shot that he cared for you as much as you did for him. You knew going into things with him that he was annoyed with Carol for having an affair and abandoning their children. You knew that he enjoyed sex with you, and you knew that you were merely a plaything to him. The moments you had with him were different now that you were back, and you had hoped that maybe he felt something for you that was a semblance of love.</p><p>Ever since Dave had told you about what he really did, who he really was, you thought that maybe feelings started to develop on his side. But you would not hold your breath. You knew that he wanted Carol out of the picture, and hoped that maybe he would keep you around, if not for him then girls at least for the sake of the girls, but you knew it was unlikely. He would probably find a new nanny, one who was not broken like you were, and he would probably fuck her too. Replacing you as easily as you would a broken mirror. You knew that you would give Dave everything he wanted, including a child, but you were not even sure he wanted that with you anymore. He never made any indication of it besides showing anger at Tom for causing you to lose his baby. You felt like he treated you and the baby like you were just property to him, and it made your heart sink. You were never going to be good enough for Dave, even if he whispered sweet words into your ears. The loss of your child was testament enough that you could not keep a growing life inside of you safe from harm and you began to feel empty. Yes, Dave had awoken something inside of you, given you the drive to take back the control and power that you lacked in your life before, but you doubted that he cared about anything else besides power and protecting what was his. Just like a piece of property.</p><p>After dinner you had tucked the girls into bed and wished them a good night, promising to be there in the morning. They went to bed with smiles on their faces and you quietly walked to the door, running into Dave in the hallway as you exited. You held a finger to your lips as you shut the door behind you.</p><p>“They are asleep,” you said. Dave nodded and grabbed your hand, pulling you towards his bedroom. You followed behind him obediently and looked around the room once you were inside. Nothing had changed since you were gone, which did not surprise you. You walked over to the bed and ran your hands over the top of the sheets and looked over at Dave.</p><p>“Strip,” he commanded, eyes filled with lust. “Slowly.”</p><p>You did as he instructed and began to take your shirt off slowly, giving him a show. Next, you unbuttoned your pants, turning around to wriggle it down your ass, giving Dave an eyeful of your plump behind. His pants grew tight as he watched you peel your underwear off and toss it over your shoulder at him, before unclasping your bra and dropping it to the floor beside you. You turned back around to face him and saw him palmed his hardening cock over his pants and had your panties held up to his nose, inhaling your sweet scent.</p><p>“Sit,” he said as he walked towards you like a predator stalking its prey. You followed his command and sat down, eye level with his bulge. You looked up at him awaiting more orders.</p><p>“Take out my cock and suck it like a good girl,” Dave demanded. You licked your lips and began to unzip his pants, peppering kisses on the outside as you did so. Dave groaned out at the action and watched as you finally got his pants undone and pulled out his cock, giving the tip a light lick. Dave was having none of that and grabbed the back of your head and shoved his cock into your mouth, causing you to choke on it, unprepared for the onslaught of hard length hitting the back of your throat. Dave clutched onto your hair, bunching it up in his hands as he began to fuck your mouth harshly, barely giving you time to breathe.</p><p>“Oh fuck, I’ve missed this mouth so much,” he grunted out as you swirled your tongue around him. He slowed his movements to give you a moment to breathe before he drove his cock back into your mouth. You let him fuck your mouth at a fast pace, and he moved so that his other hand gripped the front of your throat. He let out a groan as he felt his cock bulge through the front of your neck, enjoying the way your throat constricted around him.</p><p>“Suck that cock good, you dirty slut.” You moaned around his cock and he felt the vibrations run up his cock. “Just like that.”</p><p>He released your hair as you continued to bob your head up and down on his length, moaning some more. You moved your hand down to your center, feeling it already soaked from sucking him off, and you slipped a finger inside and began to pump it in and out. Dave looked down at you, watching you fuck his cock with your mouth, and then saw the movements of your hand at your core. He abruptly stopped you and picked you up under your arms and harshly threw you onto the bed.</p><p>“You think you can touch this pussy?” He gruffly asked as he ran a finger down your folds. You moaned at the feel of his fingers on you and threw your head back.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Daddy,” you breathed out.</p><p>“Whose pussy is this, baby girl?”</p><p>“Yours, Daddy. All yours,” you squeaked out as Dave inserted two fingers into your heat and wiggled them.</p><p>“That’s right. You’re not allowed to touch this pussy unless I say so, you got that?” You nodded at his words and moaned as he added a third finger, quickening his pace. You felt your walls clamp around his fingers as he continued his assault on your pussy. You looked down and saw that he was pumping his cock with his other hand and you whined at the sight.</p><p>“Please,” you begged him as you watched him move his fist up and down.</p><p>“You want this cock?” You nodded at him, licking your lips as your eyes stayed fixated on his hands running up and down his shaft.</p><p>“Since you sucked my cock like a good girl, I suppose I can give it to you,” Dave said as he stopped his movements and pulled you to the edge of the bed. He made quick work of pushing his pants down his legs, kicking them off then ridding himself of his shirt. You greedily eyed his cock as it bobbed against his stomach, wanting it inside of you. Dave took hold of his hardened length and ran it over your folds teasing your clit with the tip. You whimpered impatiently at the feeling and bit your lip. Dave gripped your thighs, lifting your legs and placing your ankles over his shoulders before he promptly thrust himself into your leaking cunt.</p><p>“Oh fuck,” he grunted out as he began a fast pace, watching as you writhed beneath him in pleasure. From the angle that he had you his cock was driving itself deep into your pussy and he loved the way your tits bounced up and down from the force of his movements. He circled his hips as he pounded quickly into you and you felt your walls convulse around him as you came. Dave paid your orgasm no mind as he continued to rail into you, building another climax quickly. He bent his knees and pushed himself up and into you, hitting your g-spot and you let out a shriek of pleasure as you were tipped over the edge again. You quickly clamped a hand over your mouth in an attempt to not wake the girls and Dave watched as your eyes rolled back. He stopped his motions and withdrew himself from you, placing your legs down onto the ground as you limply laid there, recovering from the two orgasms he had just pulled from you.</p><p>He walked over to the side of the bed, opening a drawer, and pulling out a bottle of lube before he walked back over to stand between your legs. He easily flipped you over like a ragdoll, your chest resting against the bed, feet planted on the floor. You heard the pop of the bottle cap and then felt a cold sensation of liquid dripping down your ass and felt Dave’s fingers circling your tightened hole. You moaned at the feel of a finger slowly dip into your ass, gradually stretching you out. He added another finger shortly after and watched as your ass took them in with ease. Dave squirted some lube on his other hand and worked it over his cock, preparing it for your ass. He pulled his fingers out and pushed the head of his cock against your open hole, giving you a moment to take a deep breath before he slammed into you roughly, fully sheathing his cock inside. You muffled your scream by burying your head into the bed as he relentlessly pounded into your ass.</p><p>“You like Daddy fucking your ass?” Dave asked as he railed you hard.</p><p>“Yes,” you whimpered out as he kept up the brutal pace. You knew that you probably would not be able to walk tomorrow, much less sit, without feeling a little ache. Dave gripped your hips firmly and dug his fingers in, as he drew close to his precipice. You could feel him dig his fingers into you some more and could already feel the bruises forming. Dave loved the feeling of your tight hole around him as he drove himself into you and looked down to watch your ass hungrily swallow his cock. You were moaning so much, and Dave loved pulling such pleasurable sounds from you. Dave snaked a finger down and began to rub your clit and you felt your climax wash over you. You strongly gripped the sheets as you felt wave after wave of pleasure run through you. At the feeling of your ass flexing around him, Dave threw his head back as his cock throbbed, coming into your depths. He grunted at the force of his climax and fell on top of you, bracing himself on his hands as to not crush you with his weight.</p><p>Dave took a moment to reestablish his breathing before he extracted himself from you and walked into the bathroom, grabbed a washcloth from the linen closet. You laid on the bed completely spent and listened to him turn on the faucet then shut it off and make his way back to you. You sucked in a breath at the sensation of the washcloth running over your folds and ass, wiping away any excess fluids. Dave placed a gentle kiss on your lower back before picking you up bridal style and moving to the side of the bed. Bracing your body on his knee he pulled back the sheets and placed you gently into the bed. You greeted the softness of the pillows with happiness and pulled the sheets up to cover you. Dave walked over to the other side of the bed and climbed in, laying on his side to face you. You let out a happy sigh as he brushed some hair away from your face before placing a chaste kiss on your lips. You hummed as you returned the kiss before shutting your eyes and greeting sleep like an old friend.</p><p>Dave laid there watching you fall into a deep sleep as he stroked your cheek. The sight of you peacefully sleeping next to him in his bed made him ponder things. He thought about how he would protect you at all costs now that he had you back. He would never let you go or let any harm come to you ever again. He thought about how you had asked him for another child. He thought about what you had said earlier that day and how it made his heart jump when you said those three words to him. He felt his heart bubble with happiness as he finally embraced how he felt for you.</p><p>“I love you,” he whispered out, confessing his feelings into the night, knowing that they would remain unknown to you.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Trip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Summary: A vacation in Brussels turns out to be more than it really is.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, FLUFF (*insert Kylo Ren yelling more*), soft!Dave (like very soft Dave)</p><p>A/N: Translations will be bolded</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been four months since you were rid of Tom. Four excruciatingly long months. Not only had the police come knocking and investigating his disappearance but things with Carol had been…. Challenging to say the least. At first, Tom’s disappearance was treated as a missing person, but some evidence came to light to point to him having fled police custody and disappearing out of the country. You were impressed with Dave’s ability to create a paper trail that the authorities could follow. After all, for all they knew, he was no longer in the country. When the police had come knocking you were worried that they would suspect you of foul play, but Dave had seen to it that you had an alibi. After all, you were with him the entire time. He had gladly provided the police with proof that you were indeed with him when Tom had escaped, and the boys also backed up his claims. The girls had gladly chimed in that you came home from the hospital that day and how you had spent the evening together, showing the officers the drawing that they had made.</p><p>The police never suspected a thing, and they informed you that they were just doing their due diligence, especially since Tom might be trying to come for you. You acted like the shocked and worried ex-girlfriend of a psychopath, feigning concern and fear for his potential return, and the police, in the beginning, had assigned a police detail to you for security. Privately, you and Dave laughed at their ignorance, thinking that you needed their protection from Tom. After all, they had done nothing for you when he had taken you. Publicly, you pretended that the police detail would do something. The police detail lasted a month before the paper trail was found. After five weeks of the police sniffing around, they had given up trying to pinpoint where Tom could have gone. You had breathed out a sigh of relief when that was over.</p><p>After that ordeal with Tom’s disappearance was over, Dave had informed you that he had dutifully filed divorced papers with Carol and was fast-tracking things with his lawyer. Carol had not been living at the house for a month, since you got back, and the girls barely noticed her absence. It seemed that Dave might have told them she was on another trip or something.</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>Two days after the police informed you that they were no longer investigating Tom, you were making lunch for the girls while they ate breakfast. Dave had come down the stairs and spotted you wiggling your hips to the music in the kitchen while you packed some sandwiches and fruit cups into the girl’s bags. He smiled at the sight, hearing the girls singing along with you. He knew that they had questions about why Carol was not living at the house lately and he had told them that she was on another trip for a while. That was two weeks ago. He decided today that he would tell them the truth but was not sure if he wanted to tell them before or after school. He heaved out a sigh and walked into the kitchen.</p><p>“Good morning, everyone,” he greeted. You turned to face him and smiled, lighting up the whole room, and the girls cheerily greeted him back.</p><p>“Morning,” you said as you placed some cheese sticks into Molly’s backpack.</p><p>“Girls, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Dave stated as he sat down at the table with them. Molly and Alice stopped chewing on their cereal and looked up at him curiously. “You both were wondering where your mother was, and I told you that she was on another trip. I wasn’t completely honest and I’m sorry.” The girls waited for him to continue, as did you, holding your breath to listen to his next words.</p><p>“Your mom is not on a work trip, at least I don’t think she is right now. See, your mother and I,” Dave sucked in a breath unsure how to tell them. “Your mother and I decided that we think it is best that we no longer stay together.” He waited for a moment as Molly and Alice were silent. You grew increasingly anxious at their silence, as did Dave.</p><p>“So, mommy doesn’t live here anymore?” asked Alice. Dave shook his head.</p><p>“Mommy still loves you both, but she is happier with someone else right now,” Dave replied bluntly. Your breath hitched at how honest he was being with his daughters. “Mommy wants to explore some other things right now, but you will still be able to see her.” Molly had tears in her eyes at the revelation that their mother had just about left them. Your heart ached as they both absorbed his words.</p><p>“Does that mean you’re staying forever?” Alice asked as she turned towards you. Your face heated up, unsure of how to answer that. “Are you going to be our new mommy?” Dave smiled at Alice’s question. He got up and walked over to stand behind you, placing his hands on your waist.</p><p>“As it turns out, she is,” he beamed at the girls. “We are both seeing each other right now, and maybe, if she wants, she can be your new mommy.” Your heart soared at his declaration. You? Their new mom?</p><p>“Yay!” they both exclaimed as they got up and rushed to hug you and Dave, Molly’s eyes still brimming with tears but were not as sad anymore.</p><p>“Will you love us more than mommy does?” Molly asked. You looked down at her and stroked her hair and nodded.</p><p>“I will love you both so much,” you replied, and you felt Dave squeeze your waist.</p><p>You and Dave dropped off the girls at school shortly after and you were surprised when they said goodbye with a wave.</p><p>“See you after school!” you shouted after them as they walked away.</p><p>“Bye, daddy! Bye, mommy!” Alice hollered back. You felt tears threaten to spill out at her words. Dave looked at you and reached over to hold your hand.</p><p>“They know now,” he said.</p><p>“But – I – what,” you stuttered out, unsure of where this put you and Dave. He had just about told his daughters that you were together, but were you?</p><p>“What is it?” he prompted, sensing your turmoil.</p><p>“What – what does that -,” you cleared your throat. “What does that mean for us?” Dave looked at you and raised his eyebrow.</p><p>“Well, I thought it was pretty obvious, baby,” he replied. “You and I are together.” Your eyes widened at his admission. He had just about made things official between the two of you. Solidifying that you were more than just a plaything to him. However, you still wanted to hear it from his mouth.</p><p>“What exactly do you mean by <em>together</em>, Dave?” you questioned, wanting him to give you the answer that you had been hoping for.</p><p>“Baby girl, if you want me to say it, just ask,” he replied smugly. “We’re together.”</p><p>“Yes – but to what extent? Am I still just the nanny that you fuck and warm your bed? Are we actually dating? What is it, Dave?” you implored, wanting to get a straight answer instead of just a runaround.</p><p>“Sweetie, you became more than just a simple fuck the moment you went missing,” he answered, stroking your hand, and leaning in to capture your lips in a heated kiss. “I was ready to tear the world apart looking for you. I’ve just about killed for you.” Tears well up in your eyes as he spoke, words close enough to what you wanted them to be. <em>I’ll take it</em>. Dave kissed your hand as he pulled the car away from the curb and you made the journey home.</p><p>“By the way, the divorce papers with Carol are filed and I have my lawyer getting it expedited. Soon enough that bitch will be gone from our lives and I’ll be glad when she’s gone.” You looked over at him, shocked that he was working so fast to sever ties with her so quickly, but you also understood why. If you were both going to be together, he could not have any attachments or be legally married, especially if he decided to take the next step with you. Which you hoped would be the case, eventually.</p><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>END FLASHBACK-</strong></p><hr/><p>Three and a half months after the Tom case was closed, Dave had sprung it on you that he had a work trip to go to. In Brussels. You were worried that he was leaving you and the girls, but then further surprised you when he asked that you come along with him. Your mind flashed back to the day that you had asked him if he would take you with him next time he went overseas and him teasing you with a “maybe”, but for him to finally ask you was making your mind reel. Did he really want you to come with him? Albeit it was still a work trip for him, so you guessed that he was going to dispatch someone, but him wanting you to be with him warmed your heart. As you sat on the couch with Dave and the girls watching a movie, you thought back to the day he asked you to accompany him to Brussels and the time you spent there.</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>“Honey?” Dave’s voice called out while you were in the shower and the girls were at school. You did not hear him over the rush of water cascading over you, nor did you hear him when he came into the bathroom and leaned against the wall, watching you hungrily. You were busy lathering your hair and then rinsing it off to take notice of his prying eyes. After a moment he cleared his throat and you jumped back at the sudden noise, hand over your heart in fright.</p><p>“DAVE!” you shouted, splashing water at him. He let out a laugh as he took in your naked form. “What are you doing spying on me like that? How long have you been there?”</p><p>“Long enough,” he replied with a cheeky smile.</p><p>“Well, are you going to stand there all day or join me?” you teased as you quirked your eyebrow at him and stood proudly, showing him your body. He groaned at the temptation that you were offering him. He wanted to set side aside his obligations for the day and just ravage you, but he needed to prepare for his next assignment.</p><p>“Not this time, baby,” he said with a shake of his head. “I actually wanted to ask you something.”</p><p>“Give me a minute and I’ll be right out,” you replied, anxious as to what he had to ask you. He nodded and made his way out of the bathroom, adjusting his pants as he went, and let out a frustrated sigh as he sat down at the edge of the bed. He fancied having a tryst with you before he left the house but knew that the guys were waiting on him. You came out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, water dripping down your body, and Dave’s desire for you spiked. <em>Dammit, get a grip on yourself!</em></p><p>“What’s up?” you asked him as you dried your hair off with a towel. Dave gulped watching your motions before he looked at your face.</p><p>“I have an assignment for work and have to go out of town for it,” he finally said. “To Brussels.”</p><p>“Oh,” you replied, putting the towel down at your side. “I’m guessing you’ll be gone for a while?” He nodded.</p><p>“That’s not want I wanted to ask you though,” he spoke.</p><p>“Did you want me to watch the girls while you were gone? I mean I do that already,” you said with a light laugh, shifting your weight from foot to foot.</p><p>“No, I have arranged for a babysitter to watch them while we’re gone,” he announced. Your head snapped up at him.</p><p>“We?”</p><p>“Yes, we,” he answered as he stood up from the bed and waltzed over to you, laying his hands on your waist, and looked into your eyes. “That is if you want to go with me.”</p><p>“I – I – of course, I want to go with you!” you proclaimed with glee once his words fully sunk in. “Why wouldn’t I?!” Dave smiled down at you.</p><p>“Good,” he said. “You better pack your stuff because we leave tonight.” Your eyes widened.</p><p>“Dave, that’s so soon!”</p><p>“You better get packing then, sweetheart. The girls will be home early so we can say goodbye before the flight.”</p><hr/><p>After you had gotten over the initial shock that Dave was taking you to Brussels you excitedly packed for your trip and said bye to the girls. Dave had told you that you would both be gone about two weeks, so you packed as much as you could, and Dave had to stop you from overpacking.</p><p>“You can always buy whatever you need while we’re there,” he had said as he stopped you from packing your third bag. “Just bring one bag and I will take care of the rest.” He had surprised you by bringing you to an extremely fancy hotel, the Steigenberger Wiltcher’s hotel to be exact. The lobby looked incredibly beautiful and you felt greatly out of place in your casual attire. You were beyond surprised when Dave guided you up to the room, revealing it to be the Royal Suite. Dave had booked you both the Royal Suite. <em>This must cost so much. Especially if we are staying here for two weeks.</em> The suite appeared to be larger than your old apartment. You walked through the suite gawking at the size and décor, taking it all in. You saw that there was a fireplace in the living room, a separate room that housed a very long table and chairs, you guessed it was a meeting room of sorts. There was an office with a large desk in the middle, a kitchenette, and a minibar. The bedroom had a large king-sized bed with a little partition in front of it, and the bathroom was ginormous! It had a shower, and the jacuzzi tub was immense. It looked like it could fit several people comfortably and your mind wandered to thoughts of you and Dave enjoyed a romantic evening in the tub. You made your way back over to the living to see Dave had let the boys into the suite and you quirked an eyebrow at the sight of them.</p><p>“Hi boys,” you greeted as you went and sat on one of the plush lounge chairs in front of the open fireplace. “Dave?”</p><p>“They are here to set up in the meeting room. They are all staying in a different suite, but this is the only suite that has a meeting room big enough for all we have,” Dave explained, gliding over to you, pressing a kiss to your forehead. You nodded and laid back, resting your arms over the armrests of the chair.</p><p>“Can we get something to eat? I’m famished,” you groaned out as you tilted your head back up to look at the four men unpacking various electronics and some guns. The weaponry no longer phased you at this point, after having used one yourself.</p><p>“We actually have butler service, so order whatever you would like,” Dave replied as he handed you a menu. Your mouth gaped at the prices for food, let alone for the drinks. And butler service?! <em>Dave really went all out.</em> You scanned through the menu, making a mental note of what appeared to be delicious-looking morsels. You looked over the top of the menu to see Dave walk out of the living room and into the office followed by Ari. Resnik and Kovac were still unpacking some things and you rested the menu on your lap.</p><p>“Do you guys want anything?” you asked politely. Resnik lifted his head and pondered for a moment, before deciding that he was hungry too. Kovac replied with a shake of his head and a mumbled “I already ate”. While Resnik was looking through the menu Dave and Ari returned, and you asked them both the same thing. Ari shook his head no while Dave walked over to stand beside Resnik and look through the menu. Once they were done Dave passed the menu back to you.</p><p>“Go ahead and place the order and just charge it to the room,” he spoke as he pressed a light kiss to your forehead and walked back to the office. You called over to room service and gave them the order, and you cringed when they gave you the total. <em>Dave’s job really had its perks. </em>The boys made quick work of getting things situated and after room service had brought the food up and it was consumed, they left for their respective rooms, bidding you and Dave farewell for the evening.</p><hr/><p>“So, what is there to do in Brussels?” you inquired, laying sideways on the sofa, watching Dave shuffle some papers around on the nearby desk.</p><p>“There are a few clubs here and there, but it’s pretty quiet and tame compared to other places in Europe,” Dave replied as he continued to study the papers.</p><p>“Clubs aren’t really my thing anymore anyway,” you quipped. “How about dinner places?”</p><p>“There are a few fine dining spots we could go to if you would like,” he answered. “I just need to finish looking over some of these papers and then we can head out.” You nodded as you stood up and stretched, hearing an audible pop and instant relief in your back. You sauntered over to where Dave sat, standing behind him, and looped your arms over his shoulders to rest on his chest. You studied the papers he was going over and saw that it was information on a man and woman as well as floorplans and layouts.</p><p>“Go ahead and start getting ready, sweetheart, and I’ll be done shortly,” Dave directed as he placed a kiss on your hand and untangled you from him. You knew that he could not be distracted from his current work, so you resolved to start getting ready, even though dinner was not for a few more hours. You elected to get some use out of the shower, saving the jacuzzi for a night where Dave could join you and moaned out once the hot water hit your skin. Being on a ten-hour flight had undeniably been uncomfortable, even if you had flown business class. You stood under the spray for what felt like an hour before finally getting out, wrapping a towel around yourself. You meandered into the bedroom and spotted a large box on the bed. Your curiosity was peaked. <em>What on earth could this be?</em> You cautiously lifted the lid, gasping at the sight. Nestled inside was a gorgeous gown, silver with golden flecks throughout. You gingerly raised the dress out of the box and studied it, turning to look at the backside. It flowed down to the floor and had a slit up the side, coming to rest by your knee. The back had a very low dip in it, but the front was modest enough. You admired the dress and placed it gently onto the bed, laying it flat on the surface.</p><p>You spotted another, smaller, box on the bottom of the larger one and picked it up, hands shaking nervously. You opened the box and let out another gasp. Inside sat a set of diamond earrings and a beautiful diamond necklace. <em>This must have cost a fortune!</em> You spied the clock on the bedside and saw that it was nearly time for dinner. You needed to start on your make-up to match the dress and jewelry. Thankfully, there was a vanity in the bedroom, so you parked yourself there, pulling out your various products and set to work. When you were satisfied with how you looked you rose and walked back over to the bed. You dropped the towel, looking over your shoulder to see if Dave happened to appear, but did not see him. You let out a small huff of disappointment but dressed in the gown. It hugged your figure perfectly, your breasts straining against the material showing enough cleavage to tease, but the back was what you loved the most. The opening on the back dipped low enough that it went to just above the curve of your ass, and the dress clung to the roundness just right. The slit made walking easier, and the dress flared out around your legs, giving you the look of a mermaid. You admired yourself in the mirror for a time before you heard a throat being cleared, causing you to whirl around and face Dave leaning against the doorframe.</p><p>“I see you found my gifts,” he said with a smirk, strolling over to pick up the jewelry box, drawing out the necklace. He came up behind you as you faced the floor-length mirror and moved your hair to the side, slipping the necklace around your neck and clasping it before giving the side of your neck a tender kiss. The action sent a shiver throughout your body and you felt goosebumps appear. Noticing your reaction, he rubbed your arms and appreciated how you looked. He held the jewelry box with the earrings in front of you and you placed each one in your ears, hair falling around them. He took a step back and then walked over to the closet, withdrawing one more box and taking a seat at the vanity.</p><p>“Your attire would not be complete without these, don’t you think, princess?” he expressed, pulling out a pair of silver high heels, gesturing for you to give him your foot. You lifted one foot and watched him place the shoe gently on your foot before doing the same to the other. You gazed at yourself in the mirror once more and you truly felt like a princess. You twirled a few times, pleased with how you looked. You glanced at Dave and saw that he had pulled out a suit before disappearing into the bathroom with a wink at you over his shoulder.</p><p>“I’ll be right out,” he said before shutting the door. You took the opportunity to walk towards the foyer and picked up your purse when you heard Dave exit the bathroom and stride over to you. You studied his simple two-piece suit and grasped his tie, pulling him towards you, planting a hot kiss on his lips before pulling away with a grin.</p><p>“So, Mr. York, what do you have planned for the evening looking so fancy?” you questioned, curious as to what he had planned for the evening. You were both dressed up quite formally and you were eager to find out where you would be dining.</p><p>“It’s a surprise,” he responded before opening the door and holding out his arm for you to grasp. Like a true gentleman, he escorted you out of the suite and through the hotel. Once outside you were greeted by a limousine and you struggled to breathe at how extensive everything was. <em>He’s really pulling out all the stops tonight.</em> Your mind began to wander, and your heart started to race. Dave had yet to express any more of his feelings to you regarding your relationship, so you were not sure what he had in store with such formality to the evening, especially on your first night in Brussels. You slid into the limousine with Dave right behind you and took a seat. You felt the vehicle pull away and you gazed at Brussels through the window. It was a breathtaking city, and you were anxious to explore it with Dave.</p><hr/><p>After about five minutes, the limo stopped, and Dave slid out, holding out his hand to assist you. You stood in front of a restaurant named L'Ecailler du Palais Royal and it looked very high class. You looked at Dave with wide eyes and he smirked at your expression. You were most definitely in for it tonight. The maître d escorted you to a quiet table in the corner and you took your seat before examining the menu.</p><p>“Uh, Dave?” you spoke nervously.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“I don’t speak French,” you replied awkwardly. Dave chuckled at your uneasiness and patted your hand.</p><p>“Good thing I do.”</p><p>A young man approached the table and Dave addressed him politely.</p><p>“Bonsoir, monsieur,” <strong>(Good evening, sir)</strong> the man greeted. “Êtes-vous prêt à commander?” <strong>(Are you ready to order?)</strong></p><p>“Oui. Nous allons commencer par le Saint-Jacques en tartare, citron vert confit, pickles de chouse-fluers et Caviar Osietra,” <strong>(Yes, we will start with the Saint-Jacques tartare, candied lime, and cauliflower pickles.)</strong> Dave replied in fluent French. You clenched your thighs at his expert linguist skills. <em>What else could he fucking do?</em> You were going to need some water to cool off at this rate. Or a cold shower.</p><p>“Nous aurons également le demi bouteille de champagne Pol Roger Brut Reserve. S’il vous plait.” (<strong>We will also have the half bottle of Pol Roger Brut Reserve champagne. Please.)</strong></p><p>“Bien sur, monsieur.” (<strong>Of course, sir.)</strong> With that the young man disappeared and you stared at Dave in awe.</p><p>“What?” he asked as he took a sip of water.</p><p>“You – you ju – you just. Wow,” you stammered out. “That was impressive. What did you order for us though?” Dave let out a chuckle.</p><p>“I ordered us some champagne, and scallop tartare with candied lime and cauliflower pickles.” Your mouth began to water, and you took a gulp of water. “Those were just appetizers. Wait until we get the first entrées.”</p><p>“What?” you sputtered out, attempting to not spray him with water. Dave only replied with a smirk.</p><p>After you consumed the appetizers, trying hard not to eat like a starved savage, you looked at the menu blankly, trying to figure out what each item was without asking Dave.</p><p>“I give up, please help me,” you said to Dave with pleading eyes, earning another chuckle from him.</p><p>“Do you like fish, lobster, or roasted meat?”</p><p>“Uh – I’ve never had lobster, but I’ve always been curious?” you answered with a shrug.</p><p>“Is that what you want?” You pondered your choice for a moment.</p><p>“Uh, on second thought, I’ll just stick to fish. I don’t know. Surprise me.”</p><p>“Very well,” came Dave’s reply. He eyed the assorted entrées on the menu and made his choice moments before the server returned.</p><p>“Quelle sera votre entrée, mademoiselle?” <strong>(What will your entrée be, miss?</strong> The server addressed you. You stared at him, completely clueless as to what he just said.</p><p>“Uh – je ne – uh -par – French?” <strong>(I don’t speak French.) </strong>you stuttered out. Dave snorted at your poor attempt at French and the server shook his head in amusement. “Ask him,” you said pointing at Dave.</p><p>“Monsieur?” <strong>(Sir?)</strong></p><p>“J'aurai le filet de canette laqué au miel et épices. Elle aura le bar de ligne en croute de sel,” <strong>(I will have the duck filet lacquered with honey and spices. She will have the sea bass in a salt crust.)</strong> Dave voiced. “Merci beaucoup.” (<strong>Thank you very much.) </strong>The way Dave spoke so effortlessly entranced you. He made the French language sound so beautiful, not that it already was not, but he made it sound like sex to your ears. You were enamored by how suave he was. The server nodded and walked away, and you gaped at Dave some more.</p><p>“You are going to catch flies like that, baby girl,” Dave teased, bringing the champagne glass to his lips. You watched the liquid disappear into his mouth and gulped. You felt hot, your body burning up from the excitement of the evening, unsure of what else it held.</p><p>“You just – wow – you are full of surprises, Mr. York.” Dave felt his pants begin to tighten at how you addressed him and he mentally groaned. He was trying very hard to control himself in public, and now was not the time to get worked up. He did not want to pull you into the bathroom of a fine dining restaurant to have his way with you. Or did he? He shook the thought away, wanting the night to be romantic without letting his lower brain dictate the evening. For once. <em>She really is changing me. I didn’t even do this for Carol.</em> The food arrived shortly, and you took a moment to admire the plating and how gorgeous the meal looked.</p><p>“I almost don’t want to eat it,” you said as you picked up your utensils. “Do you think it would be rude to take a picture?”</p><p>“Yes, now eat,” Dave commanded, digging into his own plate. You scoffed at him and began to eat, letting out a small whine of pleasure as you savored the scrumptious sustenance.</p><p>“This food is simply orgasmic,” you moaned out as you took another bite.</p><p>“Save some room for dessert, baby girl,” Dave said once you were both nearly done polishing off your plates.</p><p>“I don’t know if I can have anymore,” you groaned out, already feeling ready to burst from your previous consumption.</p><p>“Nonsense,” came his reply as he amusingly shook his head at you. You narrowed your eyes at his words, eyes baring down on him, challenging his dominance. After a moment you let out a huff.</p><p>“Fineeeeee,” you whined in defeat.</p><p>Once again, the server returned and looked at Dave expectedly.</p><p>“Une commande du parfait glacé, mandarine napoléon, noisettes,” <strong>(An order of the parfait glacé, mandarin napoleon with hazelnuts.)</strong> Dave said, giving the young man your final order. “Et veuillez en inclure deux ristretto, s’il vous plait.” <strong>(And also include two short shots of espresso coffee. Please.)</strong> The server once again disappeared, giving you a moment of silence with Dave.</p><p>“Thank you,” you spoke.</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“For such a beautiful evening,” you stated happily. Dave smiled at you and stroked your hand over the table.</p><p>“Of course, sweetheart,” Dave replied. “We may be here for my assignment, but that does not mean you should miss out on indulging in the pleasures that Brussels has to offer.”</p><hr/><p>Once dinner was concluded Dave suggested going on a walk around Brussels. He wanted to show you some of the sights and you happily obliged, giving him warning that you might have to take your shoes off partway through. You both exited the restaurant and Dave reached for your hand, clasping it with his, as he led you down a street. It took you a moment to fall in step with him, but after a moment of stumbling, you both fell into a steady stride. As you walked you could not help but admire the architecture of the buildings. From what you had read in a book, many years ago, the architectural style was called art nouveau. It was a style of architecture that used lines and shapes based on plant forms. You happily pointed it out to Dave as you walked and he nodded, listening intently to you talk about the beauty of Brussels. After ten minutes you arrived at an open plaza, and Dave walked you to the middle of it, letting you admire more of the architecture around you.</p><p>“Where are we?” you asked in astonishment. You had only ever seen places like this in movies.</p><p>“We’re in Grote Markt, also known as the Grand Place,” Dave replied as he wrapped his arms around you and rested his chin on your shoulder. You were in awe of everything around you. The atmosphere that the city provided, the fancy dress and jewelry, the delicious dinner, coupled with being there with Dave, it was becoming a lot and you felt extremely emotional. Tears prickled your eyes and you held back a sniffle, not wanting Dave to think that something was wrong. However, he was too observant and felt the shift in your body.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asked as he spun you around to face him. You shook your head, attempting to hold back your tears to no avail. “What is it, baby girl?”</p><p>“Nothing. I – I just – I’m just so happy, Dave,” you cried out as he took you into his arms in an embrace. Dave was worried that he had upset you, but hearing you say that you were happy made his heart flutter. He had planned out this whole evening to show you how much you meant to him, and seeing you get so emotional made him get emotional. Though a man of his discipline had to hold it together. He could not show weakness or vulnerability. Particularly not right now while he was on an assignment. He was already breaking so many rules just to bring you along, but he could not bear the thought of leaving you for two weeks, especially after what had happened before. He knew that Tom was no longer a threat, but he could not help but still worry about your safety. He would rather have you around where he could keep an eye on you and protect you than be thousands of miles away and unable to do anything if something did happen. He knew his girls were safe because nobody would go after them, but with you. You had gone through too much and he did not want to risk someone else coming out of the woodwork and taking you from him.</p><p>Dave held you as you sobbed in his arms and he soothed you as best as he could. Even though they were tears of happiness you were still bursting with emotion and you had no idea how to handle it. You were overjoyed but were not sure how to accept that good things were happening to you. Finally. After a few minutes, you finally calmed down and looked into his eyes, fisting the lapels of his jacket, and leaned up for a kiss. He happily obliged and cupped the back of your head as you arched your back and he dipped you. It was like a scene from a romantic movie. Once you broke the kiss, he stroked your cheek.</p><p>“Baby girl, you make me so happy,” Dave tenderly said. “Tonight, I wanted to show you just how much you mean to me, and I hope I achieved that. Even if it did end with you in tears.” You beamed at his words, confirmation that tonight was just as special to him as it was to you. You felt a slight breeze blow and you quivered. Dave took notice and removed his jacket and placed it over your shoulders, wrapping it around you. You slid your arms through the sleeves and let out a laugh at how big it was on you. You were literally swimming in his suit jacket.</p><p>“Let’s go back to the hotel, what do you say?” Dave asked as he took your hand. You nodded in agreement and began to walk. You made it several blocks before your feet ached too much in the shoes and you resorted to taking them off and holding onto them. Dave watched as you bent down to extract your feet from such confines and rubbed your sore feet. An idea popped into his head and he knew you would appreciate it. He bent down in front of you and tapped his back.</p><p>“Get up,” he instructed. You quirked an eyebrow at his offer.</p><p>“You know I’m in a pretty tight dress, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, so?”</p><p>“So, it might rip.” Dave let out a chuckle.</p><p>“Sweetheart, what makes you think it won’t end up ripped anyways?” You blushed at the implication of his words before giving in and lifting your skirt up to ungracefully clamber onto his back. You wrapped your legs around his waist as he held your thighs, repositioning his hands so he was gripping your upper legs, just shy of your butt.</p><p>The walk back to the hotel was about a half-hour and you felt horrible that Dave carried you on his back the entire time. He reasoned that at least the walk was a flat surface, and it was not in the rain or snow. He reassured you that this was a cakewalk compared to the training he went through in the past and that shut you up. Once you arrived back at the hotel it was well into the night and you were too tired for any extracurricular activities at this point, too tired from the dinner and walk home. Dave had graciously walked you over to the bathroom and helped you undress, taking extra care of your feet, and ran a hot bath for you to relieve some of the pain. <em>This man is just too much</em>, you thought as you submerged your feet into the steaming water. You stayed in the bathroom for about twenty minutes and once your feet no longer ached you exited, pulling one of Dave’s large shirts that he had left for you over your head. You tip-toed into the bedroom and saw that Dave was already tucked into bed, book in hand, waiting for you. He looked up at your movement and patted the spot beside him.</p><p>“Come here and give me your feet,” he told you and you did as he requested, resting your legs on his lap. He pulled your legs closer to him as he grasped your foot and began to massage it. You let out a moan at the pressure he was applying to the balls of your feet before moving to the arch and then the heel. He cracked each toe, which caused you to wince at first but then let out a sigh of relief. Once he was done with one foot, he repeated the actions to your other foot, and you were over the moon at the care he was exhibiting. Once he was done he resituated you onto the bed, pulling your head onto his lap and stroking your hair, going back to reading his book.</p><p>“Sleep, baby,” he commanded as you felt your eyes grow heavy and you nodded in agreement.</p><p>“Good night,” you mumbled before sleep consumed you.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-ONE WEEK LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>The last week had flown by. Dave was still preparing for his assignment and had made it a point to take you out almost every night. The nights that you did not go out you spent sequestered away in your suite, enjoying the luxuries that the hotel had to offer. Dave had surprised you with a spa treatment that included a massage, facial, and mani-pedi. He was spoiling you rotten and enjoyed the happiness you displayed. One might you had told him that he did not have to do all of this and he had replied that you deserved it after everything you had both been through and how you took care of the girls so well. You beamed at him that night and proceeded to throw yourself at him, a session of soft coitus ensuing.</p><p>Today Dave had left you to your own devices, telling you to go shopping or see more of the sights, while he went out with the boys to scope out the job. For the last week he had been a little preoccupied with you but this week he knew he had to change gears and get work done. He had told you that he was going to make himself scarce this week and you had understood, knowing that he had to make a living somehow. While Dave had been entertaining you, the boys had been diligently observing their target, studying their routine. Dave decided to scope out the target’s location for himself and observed the wife leaving the house with their son at approximately 4 pm and returning close to 6 pm, the target coming home around 7 pm. Dave took note of the time and confirmed with Resnik that it was the same time every day. The target’s wife would come home, prepare dinner, the husband would come home, and they would wait for their son to arrive home around 7:30 pm to have dinner. That left about a half-hour for the team to eliminate the target cleanly and make it look like a murder-suicide before the son arrived. Dave did not want to involve the son if possible. After all, the target’s name was the one that appeared on the piece of paper, and his wife was just collateral damage since they had no other way to dispose of the target.</p><p>Dave waited several more days before making their move, choosing to take you out for the evening while the boys took care of things. In the middle of dinner, Dave got an encrypted text from Resnik confirming that the job was done.</p><p>“Dave, is everything alright?” you asked with concern. It was rare that Dave would have his phone out during dinner, and for him to whip it out halfway through worried you.</p><p>“Yeah, everything is fine. The boys took care of the assignment and we should be set to go home tomorrow afternoon,” he replied coolly. You nodded your head and continued to eat dinner, glad that the task had been completed without a hitch for him. You knew how much Dave loathed things going wrong when he was involved, especially when he was in charge and running things. Once the evening had concluded you both prepared to return home and Dave confirmed that the mission had been cleanly executed. He did not share any details with you, opting to keep you out of the loop in case things went south. Dave was ready to go home and see his girls, itching to get out of Brussels as soon as possible.</p><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>END FLASHBACK-</strong></p><hr/><p>Dave had been enjoying home life for the last four days. Once you had both returned, he had made sure to give his daughters Belgian chocolate and they were ecstatic, asking how the trip went. You had indulged their curiosity, keeping out the inappropriate details, and they both asked to go to Brussels in the future. Dave replied with his usual “maybe” and left it at that.</p><p>You were all watching a movie, Molly had insisted on watching Zootopia, and you were curled up against him while the girls laid on the floor when his phone pinged.</p><p>
  <strong>Susan: We need to go to Brussels. Flights are booked for tomorrow night. Give me a call for more details as soon as you can.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Well fuck.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Unfortunate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dave starts investigating with Susan and certain events transpire.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, some fluff, soft!Dave, violence,</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Fuck,” Dave said under his breath. You looked at him questioningly, making sure the girls were still preoccupied with the movie.</p><p>“What’s going on?” you whispered, spotting Dave’s phone face down on the couch.</p><p>“Nothing,” he replied with a shrug. You quirked your eyebrow at him. Nothing my ass.</p><p>“We’ll talk about this later,” you state with finality before turning back to the movie.</p><p>You had gotten more confident in yourself over the last few months and Dave loved it. You used to be so timid, but now you were a changed woman. Two weeks before you had gone to Brussels his lawyer had reached out and let him know that Carol had reluctantly signed the divorce papers. He was officially rid of her and he could not wait to tell you. He had thought of telling you while in Brussels but decided against it. He did not want to give you the news while he was on an assignment, even if you had both spent a good amount of it doing romantic things.</p><p>He had finally accepted his feelings for you and had whispered them into the night while you slept, but he was still unsure of when to finally admit those feelings to you. He knew you loved him, but you also had not voiced your feelings to him short of asking him if you were both dating that one day. He wanted to wait for you to tell him but was aware that you feared rejection with a passion. He thought that your trip might have shown you how much he cared for, but you remained quiet regarding your feelings and Dave was itching to tell you. However, with Susan’s text, he knew that the timing was not right, and it would have to wait.</p><hr/><p>Once the movie had finished, Dave remained on the couch as you corralled the girls to the den, giving you and Dave some time alone. He watched you give each of them a kiss on the head through the security feed and heard them call you mom. He was overjoyed that the girls had accepted you as their new mother and had thought once or two about making it a permanent role for you. More than once, Dave had caught himself browsing rings and had gone as far as looking through your things while you were in the shower or dropping off the girls. He was looking for clues regarding your taste in jewelry and to his delight one day had stumbled upon your browsing history. He studied the different styles and noted that you had an affinity for princess cut diamonds. He filed that information away and would use that in the future. One day. Soon.</p><p>After you left the den you sauntered back to the living room and sat next to Dave, pulling your legs up, setting your feet on his lap. You looked at him expectedly, wanting answers.</p><p>“What was that about?” you asked him firmly. Dave let out a sigh.</p><p>“I have to call Susan and get details about something, but I have a feeling I know what it is,” Dave answered.</p><p>“Susan?”</p><p>“She’s my colleague and works for the agency.”</p><p>“I thought you didn’t work for them anymore,” you stated in confusion.</p><p>“I sort of still do. The boys and I take off-book assignments, but the agency still has useful resources. And Susan doesn’t exactly know,” he replied. “I have to give Susan a call now.” Dave stood up and you grabbed his hand and gazed up at him with sad eyes. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to your forehead before walking out of the room and made his way to his office. Once he sat down at his desk, he dialed Susan’s number and heard her pick up after one ring.</p><p>“Dave,” she greeted.</p><p>“Hi Susan, what’s going on?” Dave replied, impatient to get the phone call over with as quickly as humanly possible.</p><p>“We have a situation in Brussels. Join the Skype meeting I’m in and we’ll get more of the information from the Brussels police.” Dave woke his computer and joined the call.</p><p>“Give me the rundown,” Dave said as he greeted Susan and the detective from Brussels.</p><p>“It appears that there was a murder-suicide. Mr. and Mrs. Calbert,” the detective began. “Gun oil on his lips. Nine-millimetre at his feet was registered to the victim. No other prints in the house. You have questions?”</p><p>“Well, Mr. Calbert did work for us. When something occurs to one of ours, the agency is obligated to look into it. So, yes, you will be hearing from us. Thank you. Keep it locked down until we get there please.” <em>Fuck, I knew that name sounded familiar. How was I supposed to know he was one of ours</em>? Dave quickly looked through the agency’s database and came up with nothing.</p><p>“I can’t find a file on this guy. When did he become one of ours?” he asked.</p><p>“I don’t know. Upstairs kept him off the radar for some reason,” she replied.</p><p>“Susan. Car’s here. It’s okay?” Dave heard Brian’s voice.</p><p>“Oh, hey, Oh, you look great. What about a tie? You need a tie.”</p><p>“I’d do what she says, Brian,” Dave threw in.</p><p>“You have one?” Susan asked.</p><p>“Got it,” Brian replied.”</p><p>“Great, that’s perfect.”</p><p>“All right, I’ll see you later.”</p><p>“Have fun, sweetheart.”</p><p>“Bye,” Brian replied and appeared to leave.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m going to have to go there and cross the T’s. Wanna come?” Susan finally said to Dave.</p><p>“Oh, damn, and leave this shitty office. You know Brussels has the best chocolates,” Dave replied nonchalantly.</p><p>“Well, we better go. We’ll find out,” Susan said with a sip of her coffee. “I’ll book us a flight out for tomorrow.”</p><p>“What time tomorrow?”</p><p>“The flight is at 6 pm sharp. I’ll meet you at the airport and give you more of the details that they’ll send us.”</p><p>“Got it. See you tomorrow. Have a good night, Susan,” Dave stated before ending the call. <em>This is going to be such a shitshow. I need to figure out a way... I can’t leave anything to chance. Fuck! Dave thought as he began to formulate a plan…</em></p><hr/><p>You were exhausted but knew that the house needed tidying up. You let out a sigh as you got up from the couch and began to clean the kitchen, making sure that the dishes were put away and the counters wiped down. You proceeded to make your way around the house, picking things up as you went, before you decided to get ready for bed, even though it was still very early in the evening. You strolled into the master bedroom, which you had since moved into the week after you came home from the hospital. Dave had invited you to move into the room with him and you had gladly accepted, looking forward to making the nights you spent in his arms a nightly recurrence. You began your nightly ritual of cleaning your face and brushing your teeth before making your way into the shared walk-in. You waltzed over to Dave’s side and grabbed one of his shirts and slipped it on, the shirt falling just below the curve of your butt. You felt two arms encircle you and a gentle kiss placed on your neck and you let out a hum, tilting your head to the side.</p><p>“Well, hello there, sweetheart,” Dave greeted into your ear as he squeezed you slightly. You turned to face him and pulled him into a passionate kiss, slipping your arms around his neck.</p><p>“Hey yourself,” you replied with a grin. Dave shook his head and released you from his grip, sliding past you to get a set of pajama pants. “So how did the talk with Susan go?”</p><p>“I have to go back to Brussels,” he finally said with a disgruntled sigh.</p><p>“What? Why? We were just there,” you replied, confused as to why he had to go back. “Is it for another assignment?”</p><p>“You could say that. I fly out tomorrow afternoon.”</p><p>“That’s so soon! We’ve only been back a few days,” you exclaimed, unhappy with the news.</p><p>“I know, baby. I know.” You looked at Dave, sadness evident in your eyes. “You’ll have to pick up the girls after piano lessons on your own tomorrow.”</p><p>“I can do that. Are you going to tell me why you have to go back?”</p><p>“I think it’s best that you don’t know,” Dave replied. You crossed your arms and let out a huff.</p><p>“Dave, if we’re going to be together you need to be honest with me. You took me with you on an assignment but did not give me details, which is fine. But now you have to go back, and I want to know why.”</p><p>“They’re investigating a murder-suicide that happened with an agency affiliate,” Dave finally answered, gnawing over the fact that he might have to come clean about the job he had worked while you were on vacation. He understood your need to know the finer details, but he did not want to put you in an awkward situation, even though he knew you would not bat an eyelash at it.</p><p>“Is it the assignment you and the boys worked on while we were there?” you bluntly asked him, not giving him an option to dodge the question.</p><p>“Yes,” he answered simply. “But I didn’t know he was tied to the agency.”</p><p>“So, the task was to kill some guy and his wife, and make it look like he had done it?” Dave nodded his head.<em> I’ll give her credit, she picked things up pretty quick.</em></p><p>“You have nothing to worry about, okay?” Dave reassured you, rubbing your arms comfortingly.</p><p>“You don’t know that,” you replied, pulling away from him. “I don’t have a good feeling about this, Dave.”</p><p>“I promise everything will be fine. I already have things in motion so that it can’t lead back to me.”</p><p>“What things?”</p><p>“I think it’s best that you don’t know that bit,” he replied. You shook your head.</p><p>“No, Dave. That is not fair. If you are going out of the country, to basically investigate yourself, then I need to know exactly what you are going to do to fix this,” you huffed out. Dave shook his head, determined not to involve you in his affairs. “You promised you would be honest with me.</p><p>“I have to tie up loose ends, alright?” Dave growled out aggressively. “The more you know about what I have to do, the more you’re at risk. I am trying to keep you out of this in case people come sniffing around and ask you questions. Questions that you should not know the answers to. Are you satisfied?” You nodded, fear evident in your eyes.</p><p>“You know I would never betray you like that,” you muttered, looking down at the ground. He let out a breath and took your hands into his.</p><p>“I know, baby. But either way, I do not want to risk it, okay?” You nodded your head, not wanting to push the subject further. Dave brought your hands up and gave your knuckles a kiss. “Let’s go lay down, shall we?”</p><p>Dave guided you to the bed and you both slithered in, Dave pulling the blankets over you to get comfortable. You curled yourself up into his side and rested your head over his heart, wanting to get as close to him as possible. He wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer, securing you against his body. You never wanted to leave his side and clung to him tightly.</p><p>“Dave?” you whispered, stroking small circles on his chest.</p><p>“Mm?” he hummed in response.</p><p>“I don’t want you to go,” you spoke out.</p><p>“I know.” He turned your bodies over, so you were side by side and looked into your eyes.</p><p>“I promise you that everything will be fine,” he said, placing a kiss on your forehead as you nodded. He reached over and pulled you into a heated kiss, slipping his hand down your side, coming to rest on the small of your back. You let out a moan at the action and pressed yourself up against him, wanting more. That night Dave made love to you tenderly, intertwining your bodies so close that there was no telling where one of you ended and the other began. He lovingly whispered sweet words to you as he claimed your body over and over again, making sure you would not easily forget him while he was away.</p><hr/><h3>
  <b> <em>-ONE DAY LATER-</em> </b>
</h3><p>Dave made his way to the airport after bidding you goodbye that afternoon. You had shed a few tears and made him promise to be safe and to check in with you as much as he could. The uneasy feeling that you had would not cease and he had to reassure you several times that he would be fine. Plans were already set in motion, and he was ready to deal with the aftermath should he need to. He had agreed to check in with you every night, anything to keep you calm. That had appeased you, but he knew that it would only be for a short while.<b><em><br/></em></b></p><p>Dave made quick work of getting to the airport and made his way to the gate. He saw Susan sitting in one of the chairs, looking over a file while waiting to board and he walked over to plant himself next to her.</p><p>“Hey Susan,” he greeted nonchalantly. She looked up from the file and smiled.</p><p>“Hi, Dave. Thanks for coming on such notice,” she said with a pat to his shoulder. He nodded at her words.</p><p>“No problem. So, what more do we have?”</p><p>“Take a look at these,” Susan replied, handing him the file she was previously looking at before his arrival. He sifted through the photographs, studying each one carefully. The first set of pictures were of a Calbert with his head cocked back, gun at his feet, brain matter painting the window behind him. Blood was splattered over some picture frames on the side table and there was a gaping bullet hole in the window, whistling as air passed through. Dave shuffled through the photographs until he came to another set of photos, this time of Mrs. Calbert, face planted to the side on a dish, blood matting the table and plates beside her. Dave scanned through the police report and saw that the son had come home and seen his parents, alerting the police right away. Dave did not have to read any more of the report, knowing exactly what had happened.</p><p>“So, the agency thinks that he killed her and then himself?” Susan nodded. “But over what?”</p><p>“That’s what we’re going to find out. We meet up with the police once we land and go over to the crime scene. They’ve already cleaned up most things but we’re going just in case they might have missed something.” Dave nodded as she spoke. <em>Fuck, I need to get things going faster than I thought.</em></p><p>“Flight 635 now boarding,” announced a voice over the speakers.</p><p>“That’s us,” Susan said as she got up and Dave followed. Dave’s mind was working overtime as he boarded the plane, shooting Resnik a quick text before shutting off his phone.</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: Make sure things are ready in a couple of days.</strong>
</p><hr/><h3>
  <b>-FLASHBACK-</b>
</h3><p>Dave paced around his office, hand under his chin, devising a plan to get Susan off his scent. Susan was a seasoned investigator and a talented agent, so it would only be a matter of time before she put the pieces together. Dave could not risk that. He knew that nothing was tying him to the supposed murder-suicide but given enough digging something might come up. Especially if the agency wanted answers.</p><p>“Fuck,” he cursed out as he unlocked his phone and dialed Resnik’s number.</p><p>“Yes, boss?” Resnik greeted.</p><p>“I’m going back to Brussels tomorrow with Susan. I need you to find two guys to do a job for us, make it look like it wasn’t a hit,” Dave spoke, irritation seeping out the more he thought about the situation. <em>Leave it to Susan to go looking into a job.</em></p><p>“On it. Just anyone or?”</p><p>“Someone we can get rid of in case we need to. Junkies or whoever. I don’t care,” Dave answered. “We’re going to be staying at the Hotel Manos Premier.”</p><p>“Okay, I’ll get things set up,” Resnik replied.</p><p>“Good. We’re going to investigate for a few days, and I’ll let you know when it’s time,” Dave declared before hanging up. He rubbed his temples, annoyed at the situation. He hated having to clean up messes, and this was turning out to be one hell of a mess. Goddammit!</p><h3>
  <b>-END FLASHBACK-</b>
</h3><hr/><p>The flight to Brussels went by quickly, as quickly as a ten-hour flight could be, and Dave was restless. Thankfully, he had been able to sleep for most of the flight but having to meet with the police right when they arrived was the cause for his annoyance. Once they landed Dave checked his phone and saw that he had a message from you and Resnik.</p><p>
  <strong>You: I hope you had a safe flight. I miss you already.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Resnik: Things are almost set up. Should be ready to go by the end of the week.</strong>
</p><p>Dave sent you a reply first,</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: Flight went by alright, would have preferred it if you were on it with me. Will be at the hotel later to call you.</strong>
</p><p>Then he replied to Resnik.</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: Good. Make sure it is all ready by then and do not fuck this up.</strong>
</p><p>He put his phone away as he and Susan were greeted by the Brussels police and were escorted to the station. They went over more of the details, most of which were already in the report and photographs that Dave had looked over. Husband killed wife at the dinner table before himself, between 7 pm and 7:30 pm. The family had a routine and did not appear to have any issues. No gunshots were heard by neighbors. Phone records and financials pending. Dave rolled his eyes at the information. It seemed that the Brussels police were not as competent as he gave them credit for. They should have already had the financials and phone records before he and Susan even arrived. <em>This is going to take for-fucking-ever at this goddamn rate.</em> By the time they finished with the police it was well into the day, and Dave glanced at his watch. 6 pm. They had been scouring the information from the Brussels police for hours, and Dave was getting a headache. As he and Susan exited the station, she turned to him.</p><p>“Fancy a bite to eat?” she asked. Dave shook his head.</p><p>“I think I’m going to call it a day and grab something at the hotel,” he replied, itching to be alone.</p><p>“Your loss. I was buying,” Susan spoke with a chuckle. Dave falsely smiled at her and let out a chuckle of his own.</p><p>“I have to check in with the girls.”</p><p>“No problem. I totally understand that.”</p><p>“Well then, I better head out. I’ll meet you at the hotel lobby tomorrow morning?”</p><p>“Sure thing. How’s 9 am sound? The agency wants us to look into this for a couple of days, but I don’t anticipate it taking longer than that,” Susan stated.</p><p>“Sounds good, Susan. You have a good rest of your night and I’ll see you tomorrow.” They parted ways, Susan walking down the street while Dave hailed a cab to take him back to the hotel, sending you a quick text.</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: I am headed to the hotel for the evening.</strong>
</p><p>Your reply came shortly after.</p><p>
  <strong>You: The girls are eating lunch right now but want to call you. Can you Skype us when you get there?</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Dave: Of course. I will call you once I am settled.</strong>
</p><hr/><p>The cab ride was only a few minutes and Dave looked forward to calling the three of you. My girls, he thought fondly. It had only been a day, but he knew that you all missed him, and he missed you all as well. He quickly made his way to his room and pulled out his laptop, starting it up while ordering some room service. The laptop booted up with a quiet beep and then he was greeted by his lock screen. It was a photo of the four of you. A rare photo that you had all taken together one day when you had insisted on going to the park. The girls had been ecstatic that day and roped Dave into taking a ‘family photo’. He had secretly made the photo his lock screen on his computer, wanted a piece of you with him when he was away. His computer chimed with a notification; it was an incoming Skype call from you. Dave swiftly answered and was greeted by the sight of you and the girls sitting at the dinner table.</p><p>“Daddy!” Molly and Alice cried with happiness as they saw him.</p><p>“Hi girls,” he greeted with a smile. They waved at him through the screen and he saw you behind them with a large grin on your face.</p><p>“Hi honey,” you greeted him with a little wave.</p><p>“Hi sweetheart,” he replied, and he saw the girls squeak at how you greeted each other. Dave rolled his eyes at them. “Are the girls behaving for you?”</p><p>“Yes,” they replied, and you shook your head in amusement.</p><p>“They’ve been two little angels,” you replied sarcastically as they looked at you with matching smiles on their faces. “Causing no trouble at all.”</p><p>“Mhmm. Why is that hard to believe?” The girls pouted at him before the doorbell rang.</p><p>“Oh! That must be Mel. She’s picking the girls up to go play with her niece,” you informed him. Dave nodded as he watched you walk out of the frame.</p><p>“You girls better behave while I’m gone,” he spoke sternly. They nodded as you and Mel walked into the room.</p><p>“Girls, say bye to your daddy. It’s time to go.” Mel greeted Dave with a wave, and he waved back, waiting patiently for you to guide Molly and Alice quickly out the door.</p><p>“Bye, daddy!” they both said with a wave. Dave blew them a kiss before they left the frame, and he heard the front door shut. Now he had you to himself.</p><p>“So how is everything going?” you asked him as you took a seat at the dinner table, propping your hands under your chin.</p><p>“It’s going fine. Things should be taken care of in a few days,” he replied.</p><p>“That’s good to hear. Everything going alright with the investigation?”</p><p>“Just peachy.” You nodded your head. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”</p><p>“What is it?” you questioned, cocking your head to the side.</p><p>“Can you have Mel watch the girls for the next few days?” Your curiosity was piqued. <em>Why does he want the girls gone for a few days?</em></p><p>“Yeah, let me text her really quick and ask.” Dave watched as you pulled out your phone and typed out a quick text, hearing the <em>whoosh</em> of the message being sent.</p><p>“Care to tell me why I just inquired for her to watch the little demons for the rest of the week?” you probed. Dave let out a chuckle.</p><p>“There may or may not be a ticket for you to take a red-eye tonight,” he answered, watching in amusement as your eyes expanded.</p><p>“Wait, you want me to come join you?” Dave nodded. “But aren’t you busy with things?”</p><p>“Yeah, but I want you to be here. You better start packing, sweetheart,” he directed.  You shook your head in disbelief.</p><p>“You’re really flying me out there?” Dave let out a chuckle.</p><p>“Yes. Check your email.” He watched as you opened your phone to check the email and gasped. There sat a confirmation email for your flight, leaving at 10 pm tonight, arrival at 2 pm in Brussels.</p><p>“This is too much, Dave,” you said in shock, mind reeling from his efforts to get you there.</p><p>“I beg to differ,” he retorted. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” You nodded your head and stood up, picking up your laptop in the process. Dave watched as you made your way up the stairs and into the bedroom, setting the laptop down on the bed.</p><p>“So now that I have the house to myself, why don’t I show you just how much I miss you?” you cheekily asked, tugging at the hem of your shirt. Dave raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“Baby girl, you’re going to get it when you arrive if you keep this up.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m sure I will,” you answered defiantly. Dave watched as you pulled the shirt over your head and shook his head in amusement. The rest of his evening was spent doing some very wicked things over a video call.</p><hr/><h3>
  <em> <b>-TWO DAYS LATER-</b> </em>
</h3><p>Once Dave had told you about the ticket to come see him you were brimming with excitement. It had only been two days at that point, but you missed him dearly. And other night’s events confirmed that he missed had you just as much. When you stepped off the plane and walked through the airport to baggage claim you had been greeted by a familiar face in the crowd. You had both spent the afternoon in the hotel room, hardly stopping except for food and a break here and there. That was two days ago. Today you were lounging on the couch reading <em>The Magic Mountain</em> when Dave poked his head in.<em><b><br/></b></em></p><p>“I’m going to meet Susan in a couple of hours, so why don’t you go shopping or treat yourself to the spa while I’m gone?” he suggested. You shrugged your shoulders at him.</p><p>“I guess I can do that. I was getting bored with you anyways,” you replied with a playful grin. Dave rolled his eyes and walked over to poke your ribs and give you a tender kiss before making his way out.</p><p>“Put that black card to use, woman!” he shouted from the doorway before shutting it.</p><p>“I suppose I’ll go shopping. At this point I have already done all the sightseeing I can do,” you spoke to yourself. You looked up some stores to go to in Brussels and were pleasantly surprised that there were so many. Most of them were boutiques and you decided to pin some of them on your map. You finished getting ready and pulled on your shoes, sauntering through the hotel and down the street to your first stop. <em>This is going to be an interesting day</em>, you thought to yourself. Little did you know, it was going to be an extremely eventful one.</p><hr/><p>Susan was getting too close to discovering the truth regarding the deaths, and Dave was getting impatient with each passing day, waiting for his plan to unfold. They had gone back to the crime scene twice since they arrived and Susan still could not find anything, but she persisted. They had finally gotten the phone records, financials, and anything else that could possibly give them a clue to the mystery. After he left the room, he had gone to the hotel lounge to wait for Susan’s arrival. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was time to meet Susan in the hotel lobby. His phone buzzed with a message from Resnik as he waited for the elevator.</p><p>
  <strong>Resnik: Things are all set to go. They should be right on time.</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>Dave: Good.</strong>
</p><p>Dave put his phone away and spot spotted Susan in the lobby, about to get off the phone, and walked up to her. <em>Here we go.</em></p><p>“Yeah?” Susan asked as they began to walk to the elevator at the opposite side of where Dave had come down from.</p><p>“Hey. Calbert’s bank records are fine. Texts, emails. No marital discord. No girlfriends, no boyfriends, no loves. Not even one inappropriate message to a co-worker.”</p><p>“What about the wife?” Dave gave her a skeptical look. “Oh, come on, Dave. Women fuck around too,” <em>Don’t I know it</em>. “Think about it. When’s the last time you sent your wife flowers?”</p><p>“Noted. Noted,” Dave replied. <em>Not for a long time but fuck that whore. Though maybe I should bring flowers back to the room after this.</em> Dave felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out.</p><p>
  <strong>Resnik: They are there now. Two backpackers in front of you.</strong>
</p><p>“Data on Calbert’s hard drive just came in,” he said pretending to look at said information.</p><p>“We’ll talk about it on the plane. I wanna get out of here as soon as we can. Run some theories by Stan.” Dave typed out a quick message to Resnik.</p><p>
  <strong>Dave: Make sure we tie up the other loose end once this is done.</strong>
</p><p>The elevator doors opened, and people began to pour in. They began to pour in, and Dave stopped to let the two backpackers in ahead of them.</p><p>“Alright. Watch,” he said as he let Susan in first after the backpackers.</p><p>“Excusez-moi, monsieur, pardon,” <strong>(Excuse me, sir, pardon me)</strong> Susan spoke as she squeezed her way in between the backpackers. “Merci.” <strong>(Thank you</strong>) Dave followed closely behind her and they both came to stand in the back. He kept an eye on the backpackers, one of them bouncing a ball, as the elevator doors closed, which caused him a little irritation but did not let it show. <em>They better get this done fucking right.</em> They patiently stood and waited as each person got out of the elevator on their respective floors until only Susan, Dave, and the men remained. The elevator dinged once it arrived on Susan’s floor and she waited for the two men to exit before following.</p><p>“I’ll see you downstairs at six?” she asked him as he was looking down at his phone, checking the new message from Resnik.</p><p>
  <strong>Resnik: Things are all set to take care of the two of them once this is done. Kovac is keeping an eye on their place.</strong>
</p><p>“You got it,” he replied without looking up.</p><p>“Oh, hey,” Susan paused and stopped the doors from closing, causing Dave to look up at her. She pointed her finger at him. “Or you’re not getting on the plane.” Dave clenched his jaw at her words. <em>You won’t live long enough to get on the plane, much less have some chocolate.</em> He looked down at his phone again to check your location and saw that you were still out and at a boutique on the other side of town.</p><p>“Guess I’m going back out,” he mumbled as he hit the button for the lobby, not intending to actually leave the building until the job was done.</p><hr/><p>He waited in the lobby for a few minutes before he exited the building. He then snuck around to the back of the hotel to a service elevator, making sure to stay out of sight of any cameras. Once he entered the elevator, he pulled a glove over his right hand and pressed the button for floor 16.<em> It should be just about done right now</em>, he thought as he glanced at his watch. The elevator stopped and he made his way out and down the hall towards Susan’s room. The door was ajar, and he walked in, careful not to make any noise or leave any trace that he was there. He went through the hotel room until he spotted her by the bathroom, sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall, breathing heavily. Her hair was in disarray, blood ran down her face from a gash on her head and seeped down into her shirt. At the sound of his footsteps, Susan looked up and saw him, relief flooding her face and she exhaled a deep breath. He stepped over her legs to crouch down beside her, and she reached out to him, comforted by his presence. She was saved. Or so she thought.</p><p>“Did you get the chocolate?” she managed to mutter out through the pain. “Oh fuck.”</p><p>Dave grasped her hand and placed it on his knee as he pushed some hair from her face and neck, letting her continue to think that he was there as a friend. Her head rocked back and forth, her eyes closed, as she struggled to breathe and he gently moved her face to look at him. He then lifted his hand away from her chin and clasped it over her mouth tightly, pulling a knife out of his pocket. Susan, eyes still closed, head foggy from her wound, was unsure of what was happening. What event was about to transpire until it was too late. She felt a weight over her mouth and realized that Dave had covered it, so she opened her eyes in confusion and let out a muffled scream as Dave skillfully, and without hesitation, drove the knife between her ribs and straight into her heart. The knife easily punctured the beating muscle, and Dave, pressing his forehead against hers, watched as she heaved out her final breath, her body falling limp within seconds. <em>Goodbye, Susan.</em></p><p>He withdrew the knife and stood from his crouched position, wiping the blade clean with a cloth before pocketing both items. He would dispose of them later once he was nowhere near the hotel. He stepped over Susan’s lifeless body and walked out of the hotel room, retracing his footsteps until he reached the service elevator, quickly reaching the ground floor and exiting the hotel. He stepped foot on the street and reached for his phone, checking on your location once more. You had moved to a different boutique and he gathered that you would not be back for some time. Dave thought for a moment, pondering what to do while you were off shopping, finally coming to a decision. He swiped over to the map app on his phone and looked for a specific store, seeing that it was about ten minutes away from him via cab. He memorized the address and hailed a taxi.</p><p>“Waterloo Boulevard 66,” he quickly stated to the driver. The man nodded before pulling away from the curb and navigated through the streets expertly.  Dave drummed his fingers on his leg as they drew closer and closer to the destination, and he thought about his future purchase. <em>What size? What type of metal? What shape?</em> He wanted it to be something that you would really love and take your breath away, and he was willing to drop any amount of money to achieve that goal. Once the taxi arrived, he paid the driver and slowly walked inside, an associate warmly greeting him. Dave already had an idea of what it was that he was going to get, but he wanted to be sure before making the purchase. He spent almost an hour at the store, mulling over all the different choices, asking questions about different styles and what made each one unique, before finally settling on one particularly beautiful piece. He made the purchase without hesitation and soon waltzed out of the store, pocketing it away for safekeeping while throwing the knife and cloth into the trash outside the door. <em>Now to keep this thing hidden away from her.</em></p><hr/><p>After Dave had left you decided to get up and get dressed to go out. The black card Dave had referred to was burning a hole in your purse and you decided to follow his directions and put it to some use. After all, when in Brussels. You had been feeling a little weird all day but paid it no mind. Once you got dressed you slipped on your shoes and slung your purse over your shoulder, making your way down to the lobby. Once there you strode through until you walked outside into the sunshine. You took a deep breath, enjoying the European air. You looked up the nearest luxury boutiques near you saw that there were some about fifteen minutes away by foot. You decided to take the little stroll there instead of hailing a cab, so you turned and began your journey. <em>Thank god I wore comfortable shoes.</em> After about fifteen minutes you finally arrived at your first stop. A quaint little clothing store. You walked inside and looked around, finding some dresses and pants that were your style. A store associate helped you try each of the items on and you made your selections from there. You nearly had a heart attack when the employee informed you of the total. <em>It’s Dave’s money. He told me to spend it. More like commanded me to but whatever. You handed her the card and internally scolded yourself for such a large purchase.</em></p><p>Next, you meandered down passing a few stores before one caught your eye and you found yourself walking inside yet another clothing shop. Upon entry, you were greeted with a cozy environment and a woman came to greet you. Again, you made your way through the store and picked out some blouses that caught your eyes and tried them on. The total this time was not as much as the first purchase but was still quite a bit. Your third stop was at a shoe store this time, knowing that an outfit would not be complete without the proper footwear. Some heels caught your eyes and a few pairs of flats, and the saleswoman gladly found the shoes in your size before you pulled the trigger on your purchase. The shoes cost almost as much as the clothing at the first store, but then again you had bought four different pairs of shoes that were high-end brands.</p><p>By now you had three large bags dangling from your arms and you decided that you needed a break and some food. You felt your stomach turn over and spotted a café across the street. You quickly crossed the street and grabbed a table, quickly being greeted by a server. You politely gave them your order, having decided on a charcuterie board and an espresso to quell your appetite. You pulled out your phone and began to browse through your social media and sent a quick text to Mel asking her how the girls were doing. She promptly replied with a photo of Alice and Molly sitting with her niece, Emma, watching Frozen on the television in front of them. You chuckled and shook your head, sending her a reply to thanking her for watching the girls. <em>I need to get her a thank you gift</em>, you mentally noted.</p><hr/><p>Your food arrived shortly after and it looked absolutely divine but had a slightly putrid smell.<em> Maybe it’s just some weird meat or the cheese, some of it doesn’t look familiar.</em> You picked up a slice of meat and sank your mouth into it, hunger outweighing the strange smells that swirled through your nose. <em>Oh no.</em> You squeezed your eyes shut and brought your napkin up to your mouth and feigned a cough, spitting the food into it. It took everything in you to hold back a visible gag and your stomach churned. You hastily got up and flagged down a server, asking where the lavatory was before nearly sprinting to it. Once inside you shut yourself into a stall and knelt over the toilet, unleashing the contents of your stomach into the porcelain bowl. After a moment, your stomach had finally calmed down enough for you to stand up and wipe your mouth of the bile that had stuck to the sides of your lips. You felt another wave of nausea wash over you and you lurched forward, clutching the sides of the seat, as another rush of half-digested food was expelled from your mouth. After a minute, you found yourself dry heaving over the toilet, tears streaming down your face. <em>What is wrong with me?</em></p><p>You began to think back to the last few days and how you had been feeling. Today you had been experiencing a little queasiness but shrugged it off as the fish you had the night before for dinner. However, the reaction you had from the charcuterie board was what made your head spin. You had eaten charcuterie many times in the past, but you never had an issue with the smell that had wafted into your nose, and most certainly had never vomited from the mere taste. Your eyes widened at the realization of what it could be. Your breasts had been feeling quite tender the last two nights, but you had guessed that it was just from Dave’s treatment of them since your arrival. You started piecing the clues together and gasped, hand flying over your mouth when it dawned on you. You swiftly exited the stall and rushed to the sink, holding onto the countertop as you looked at yourself in the mirror, breathing heavily at your thoughts. You managed to calm yourself after taking some deep breaths and made a beeline for the exit. You were in such a hurry that you nearly forgot your bags and to pay for your barely touched food. You speedily threw some bills down onto the table and grabbed your bags, quickly hailing a cab.</p><p>“The nearest pharmacy please,” you requested, throwing yourself into the back seat and tried not to start hyperventilating again. The cab driver drove down two blocks and stopped in front of a pharmacy, the large green cross staring you in the face.</p><p>“Could you please wait here?” you politely asked, and the driver nodded. You sprinted into the store and dashed down each aisle until you found the one you were looking for. Wanting to be completely thorough, you grabbed one of each box and ran to the counter, almost throwing them at the attendant. She looked at you with terrified eyes seeing your ghostly pale face full of panic. She quickly rang you up and you handed her some cash, not wanting the transaction to show on Dave’s card statement. Oh fuck. Dave. Anxiety crept through you once again at the thought of how you were going to tell him if the results were what you assumed them to be. The girl handed you the bag and you charged back outside and hurled yourself back into the cab, telling the man to take you to the Hotel Manos Premier and to get there as fast as possible. Upon arrival, you speedily grabbed your bags and hastily ran up to the hotel room. <em>Thank fucking god it is on the second floor.</em> You hoped and prayed that Dave would not be there, but your prayers were not answered. As you flung open the door, you were greeted by the sight of him seated by the window, glass of whiskey in his hand. At the commotion, he spun around to face you and raised an eyebrow at the state of chaos you were currently in.</p><hr/><p>“Hi honey,” you heaved out, sucking in a deep breath as you dropped your bags and walked over to him, trying to calm your nerves. <em>I am so fucking glad I put the stuff in the bigger bag. Fuck.</em></p><p>“Hello, darling. Are you alright?” he questioned as he closed the gap between you and pulled you into a kiss. Once you broke away you nodded and nervously smiled at him.</p><p>“Of course. Nothing to worry about. Sorry, I just really have to use the bathroom,” you replied, pulling away from him and turning to pick up your bags, trying not to arouse suspicion.</p><p>“Do you want any help with that?” he offered. You frantically shook your head.</p><p>“I got it!”</p><p>“If you say so.” As you exited the room, you abruptly stopped and took a step back, poking your head around the corner to look at Dave.</p><p>“Oh, I forgot to ask, how did your meeting with Susan go?” You saw Dave clench his jaw and shrug.</p><p>“It was fine. I’m finished up with things here, and I have a flight set to go back in a few hours,” he answered. His behavior felt a little off. You were not sure what it was, but you had a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach, and it wasn’t nausea this time. You quirked an eyebrow at him and narrowed your eyes.</p><p>“So, the investigation is over?”</p><p>“More or less. I booked a separate flight for you that leaves around the same time as mine. The agency doesn't need to know that I flew you out here.”</p><p>“I suppose I can understand that. I guess that's fine. I do miss the girls, and all this traveling is getting to me.” Dave nodded understandingly and took a sip of his whiskey.</p><p>“We have a few more hours before we have to go, but you should probably start getting ready.”</p><p>“Alright,” you answered. “I’ll be back in a jiffy; I really have to pee.” He let out a chuckle as you rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind you, making sure to lock it. You threw the bags onto the ground, pulling out the undesired products, and savagely ripped the packaging apart. You pulled down your pants and proceeded to do your business, making sure the tips were meticulously covered in your bodily fluids. <em>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.</em> You repeated the same action to the other three sticks and capped them all, placing them on the counter. You set a timer for three minutes on your phone and paced the bathroom. This was the longest three minutes of your life. The three minutes crawled by and you were snapped out of your thoughts with the buzzing of the timer. You timidly walked over to the counter and looked at all four sticks. You nearly collapsed at the sight that greeted you.</p><p>On each and every stick, two hauntingly pink lines stared right at you.</p><p>
  <em>Oh my god.</em>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Ghost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reader is shocked by the unexpected news and Dave runs into a ghost from the past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, ANGST, soft!Dave, smut, some fluff sprinkled in</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You sat in shock, gawking at the test in your hands. <em>This is what I wanted, but I did not realize it would be so soon.</em> You racked your brain for more signs. You had noticed some slight weight gain in the last few months. Your breasts were a little more sensitive. Your mood shifted easily more often than not. You also had weird cravings. But those were nothing compared to the biggest indicator. <em>My period.</em> You scrambled to pull out your phone and check the calendar. You were about three months late. <em>No fucking way. </em>You went through the calendar twice more to confirm it was not your imagination and your heart pounded when you came up with the same answer. You had been so caught up with things after Tom and the police and Carol that you had not been keeping track of your cycles. <em>Shit shit shit.</em> You leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground, phone in one hand, test in the other. A knock at the door ripped you from your thoughts.</p><p>“Are you alright in there? You’ve been in there for a little while, sweetheart,” Dave spoke through the door. You cleared your throat. </p><p>“Ye – yeah. Sorry, my stomach is a little upset right now. I think I ate some bad cheese or something earlier,” you replied, trying to keep your voice even. “I’ll be out in a minute!”</p><p>“Okay. Are you up for some food or is your stomach not up for it?”</p><p>“Um – I think I’ll pass right now. I’m actually going to run a bath,” you answered. You facepalmed at your response, the shopping bags were still littered around you and Dave would probably want to join you in the bath.</p><p>“Alright,” he answered, and you heard him step away from the door. You let out the breath you were holding and got up, hastily placing the tests and discarded packaging into the pharmacy bag before stuffing it into the bottom of a shopping bag under the clothes. You stepped over to the bathtub and turned on the faucet, beginning to run the bath. You then straightened up, mentally bracing yourself, and unlocked the door, gingerly stepping out. You crept into the bedroom and placed the bags into the closet, tucking the one with the tests into the very far back. You felt two arms wrap around your middle and you stiffened for a moment before relaxing.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re alright, baby?” Dave whispered into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. You nodded and placed your hands over his before turning around in his arms, plastering a smile on your face.</p><p>“I’m just feeling a little tired after today, but I think I’ll feel better after the bath,” you responded.</p><p>“Though, my bath would be even better if you joined me,” Dave smirked at your words and tugged your body closer to his.</p><p>“Is that right?” he asked as he leaned down and placed a kiss on your lips before deepening it, slipping his tongue in. You stood there for a moment, lost in the embrace before you remembered the water running, and pulled away.</p><p>“You’re more than welcome to join, honey,” you teased as you turned around and made your way for the bathroom, swaying your hips just a little more as you walked away before you pulled your shirt over your head and let it fall to the ground. Dave eyed you lustfully as you took a few more steps and unclasped your bra and dropping it to the ground at your feet. You turned to look at him over your shoulder and grinned, knowing he was going to devour you if you kept this up. All thoughts of the tests were far from your mind as you stepped into the bathroom and pulled your pants and underwear down your legs, kicking them out towards Dave. You crooked a finger at him, and you watched his eyes darken with lust.</p><p>“Baby girl, you better behave,” Dave sternly spoke as he made his way towards you, predatory look in his eyes. You bit your lip as your gaze turned downwards and you saw a very visible bulge in his pants.</p><p>“Who says I want to?” you retorted, as you turned away from him, preparing to step into the bath. You felt his presence behind you, and he pulled your body tight against his, pressing himself against the curve of your ass. You ground yourself against him and moaned at the feel of his hardening length.</p><p>“Hands on the tub and bend over for me, baby,” he instructed, running a hand down your back as you followed his instructions, turning off the water in the process. Your body felt hot at his caress, wetness pooling between your thighs in want. You heard a shuffle behind you, and you turned your head, seeing Dave shed his layers, revealing his rigid cock to you. You let out a moan as you watched him pump himself, and you looked up to meet his eyes. His pupils were blown, primal look in his eyes, and you knew that he was about to fuck you hard and fast. Your walls clenched in anticipation. He swiped a finger through your wet folds, and you let out a gasp, loving the way his digits felt against your opening before he sunk two of them into your heat, scissoring them as he buried them up to the knuckle. You wiggled your hips, wanting more from him, but he withdrew his fingers instead. You began to whine but it was cut short as he sank his cock deep into you with one thrust.</p><p>“Oh!” you cried out, feeling the fullness of him fill you up. You loved the sensation of him stretching you out as he began a brutal pace, pumping into you without reserve. You moaned out as he slipped a hand between your thighs and began to rub your clit in tandem with his thrusts, and you clutched the side of the tub tightly.</p><p>“This is going to be hard and fast, baby,” he groaned out, feeling your walls holding him in a vice grip as he pounded into you, loving the way you took him in so easily. <em>I always seemed to be hornier for her after committing murder or some kind of heinous act of violence,</em> he thought to himself as he rocked into your heat.</p><p>“Give it to me, please,” you panted out as he quickened his pace and you felt yourself grow closer to the edge. You pushed back against him, meeting him thrust for thrust, circling your hips as you went. Dave grunted out as he sped up his movements, feeling his balls tighten as his cock swelled, ready to burst.</p><p>“I’m not going to last long. Come for me,” he commanded, as he rubbed your clit harder and plunged himself deeper into you, the tip of his length hitting your cervix. Your vision went white, body convulsing as your orgasm wrecked through you. Dave, feeling your walls clench around him, let out a grunt as he stilled, releasing wave after wave of his cum deep into you. You both caught your breath for a moment before he pulled out, watching as some of his cum dripped out of your opening and onto the floor. He loved the sight of his essence oozing out of you, willing his seed to take root inside of you.</p><p>“Let’s get you into the bath,” he said tenderly as he saw your legs wobble slightly as you straightened yourself. You nodded and he guided you into the bath, taking hold of your hand as you stepped into the steaming hot water. As you sank in, you let out a deep sigh, letting the heat penetrate your skin and muscles. Dave stepped in behind you, tugging your body flush against his, nestling you between his legs as he pulled you close. You leaned your body back and felt him run his hands over your stomach as you closed your eyes, enjoying the moment. His hands came to rest on your lower belly and your eyes popped open. <em>Do I tell him now? No, I’ll wait until we’re home and I can see a doctor,</em> you mentally deciding. You wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong before telling Dave the news. You were still unsure of how he would feel about this particular bit of information.</p><p>“So, are you going to share with me how things really went today?” you questioned, having picked up on his earlier behavior when you asked about Susan and the meeting. “You should give me more credit, Dave. I’m not some idiot like Carol.” Dave let out a sigh knowing that you were right. You were more observant than Carol ever was, and you already knew about his previous assignment. It was only a matter of time before the excuse of ‘tying up loose ends’ would not suffice.</p><p>“I had to take care of Susan,” he finally answered. “She was getting too close to finding out what really happened.”</p><p>“Take care of her how?” you pressed. “Dave, did you kill her?!”</p><p>“Yes,” he replied simply. “It looks like a robbery, so it is not going to tie back to me at all, so don’t worry.” He tightened his arms around you as he pressed a kiss to the side of your head.</p><p>“If you say so,” you said, the feeling of unease returning. You had a feeling that things were going to get worse from here, but you put it out of your mind. <em>Dave said he took care of things</em>.</p><p>“Besides, Susan was the only one who could figure it all out, and now I don’t have to worry about her,” he added. “Nobody is going to suspect anything.”</p><hr/><p>Dave laid in bed with you soundly tucked away in his arms as you got a little rest before the flights home. He trusted that Resnik and the boys would take care of the backpackers, and with how carefully he had planned things out, there would be no way his involvement would be discovered. As he had told you, Susan was the only person capable of getting answers, and he had taken her out of the equation. <em>She was just an unfortunate.</em> Dave pushed the thoughts out of his mind; he needed to focus on things once you both arrived back home. The box tucked away in his coat was calling out to him, and he had to resist the temptation to give it to you now. <em>No, I am going to wait until we get back home before I say anything, </em>he decided. Dave glanced at his phone as it began to buzz, seeing the name of his superior flashing on the screen. Dave untangled himself from you and snuck into the hall.</p><p>“Hello?”</p><p>“Dave, we have some unfortunate news,” the voice spoke into the phone. <em>Like clockwork.</em></p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Susan was found dead in her hotel room this afternoon. Looks like a robbery and she fought back. The local authorities are already getting things squared away, but we need you back here stateside. Your flight is still set for this evening.”</p><p>“Fuck, I saw her just a few hours ago. You’re saying someone robbed her in her hotel room?!” Dave angrily spoke into the phone, playing up the upset partner.</p><p>“Yes, the photos of the crime scene show signs of a struggle. Security footage shows it was two men who got off on the same floor as her. We will see you for a debriefing when you return.” With that, the line went dead and Dave rolled his eyes. They would obviously find the two men, but only pieces of them. He crept back into the room and rolled his shoulders back, tension leaving his body as he slid back into bed with you. You stirred feeling his body envelope you but did not wake and Dave brushed some hair out of your face. Soon all of this would be behind him and he could pay more attention to you and the girls.</p><hr/><p>You both had returned home that evening without a hitch, but Dave had told you after you landed, that he needed to fly down to Washington D.C. to meet with the agency and go over the investigation and Susan’s death. You had begrudgingly accepted him leaving yet again but told him that he needed to stop making a habit of that. Dave had nodded and had kissed you before he boarded the next flight and was off to the capital. The meetings he had with the agency were boring, to say the least. They had accepted that Dave and Susan had found no evidence showing the deaths of Calbert and his wife to be anything more than a murder-suicide and had also accepted that Susan’s death was a robbery gone wrong. Dave had told them his side of the story, how he had gone down to get chocolates and returned to his hotel room, under the impression that everything was fine. The agency did not question it, the security footage showing him leaving the hotel and returning just like he said he did.</p><p>While he was in D.C. Brian had reached out to Dave to let him know they were having a wake for Susan in three days and Dave let Brian know that he would be there. He knew that he needed to be supportive, or at least play the role of being supportive, especially since Susan was his partner when she had died. At the wake, he had watched Brian grieve the loss of his wife, and he kindly walked over with a glass of water and gave Brian a look as if to say, ‘I am here if you need anything’. He left the wake as quickly as he arrived and returned to the hotel he was staying at in the city. His phone chimed with a text from Kovac.</p><p>
  <b>Kovac: Targets eliminated. All loose ends are tied and there will be nothing to find.</b>
</p><p>Shortly after Kovac’s text, Dave got another one, this time from the agency.</p><p>
  <b>The Agency: Found the men responsible. They were junkies with extensive criminal backgrounds. Gas explosion at their place not too long ago. Case closed.</b>
</p><p>Dave evilly grinned at the news. He was in the clear now and had nothing to worry about. He booked a flight to go home the following afternoon and decided to get some energy out by going on a run. He dressed down in a pair of jogging pants, shirt, and track jacket. Pulling on his running shoes and setting course for a park nearby where people from the agency and other military personnel ran. He felt the breeze on his face as he jogged, running by a group of women, turning slightly to eye them in the PT outfits. He continued his course when he heard it. A voice he had not heard in years. A voice he thought he would never hear again.</p><p>“You got fat, Dave.” Dave stopped in his tracks. Processing the voice. Unsure if he was just imagining things. He swung around and his jaw dropped, astonished at the sight of his previous partner sitting on a bench. His former colleague that he had thought was long dead. <em>No fucking way.</em> He stood frozen, rooted to the spot in disbelief, as the man stood up and walked over to Dave, throwing his arms around him. It finally registered in Dave’s mind that this was real, and his old partner really stood before him. It was not a phantom. It was not his mind playing tricks on him. Robert McCall was truly there. Alive and well. In the flesh. Dave returned the embrace, shock still running through him. It felt like he had been hit by a train. A very large, very fast-moving train.</p><p>“It’s good to see you,” McCall spoke to Dave. Dave nodded, still unable to speak as they strode over to the bench and sat down. Dave studied McCall, taking in his appearance. This man was supposed to be dead. He watched him get buried under the rubble.</p><p>“I was in the lobby…When that bomb went off,” Dave spoke, looking down at the ground, recalling the memories of the day he watched his partner disappear, presumed dead. “Looking right at you…When that hotel came down on us. You were there and then you weren’t.” He glanced at Robert before turning to gaze at the lake in front of him.</p><p>“Wasn’t my day,” McCall replied, looking at Dave, some guilt evident on his face.</p><p>“I went to your funeral,” Dave said as he leaned on his knees, hands clasped in front of him. “Grieved a long time over you.” He felt a hand clap him on the back comfortingly. Then the thought dawned on him. <em>Susan must have known. She and McCall were always good friends.</em></p><p>“Susan, she knew?” he questioned. McCall’s silence was answer enough. “I was your partner for seven years. Kept nothing from you.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Dave,” Robert replied, “I am.”</p><p>“I never had a chance to say how sorry I was….About Vivienne,” Dave voiced sadly, feeling sorry for the loss of McCall’s wife. “You still at the beach?”</p><p>“Not in a long time.”</p><p>“Well, I got me that cabin,” he stated with a chuckle. “Take the wife and kids up a couple of times a year.” <em>At least I used to.</em> “Wouldn’t have any of it….If it weren’t for Susan.” Dave’s voice slightly broke, he really was friends with Susan, and it did sting a little that he had to kill her in cold blood. But he needed to protect himself.</p><p>“Life got….dark,” Dave continued, meeting Robert’s gaze. “She talked me off that ledge I was heading over.”</p><p>“Probably over a bowl of soup,” McCall replied with a chuckle. Dave lightly laughed, recalling that Susan did, indeed, do just that.</p><p>“I owe her my life.”</p><p>“You ever talk to the boys?” Robert asked him, prying for more information. Dave shook his head; he had a feeling that McCall was trying to get answers and he would not give it to him. He needed to keep pretending that he was oblivious to all of this.</p><p>“No, not for years,” Dave lied, knowing full well that they still worked together, but he could not let McCall pick up on that. “Hell of a team we were, right?” He watched McCall scratched his head.</p><p>“She never pushed a button, Dave?”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“Susan,” Robert said as he rubbed his face. “On the elevator. She never pushed her floor number. I checked all the video. Backpackers got on first. They pushed number 16. She didn’t have to. They knew what floor she was on.” Dave began to worry. <em>Fuck, if McCall is looking into this now….Fuck fuck fuck. It’s only a matter of time before he figures it all out. Shit.</em></p><p>“They find them?” Robert asked, looking up at Dave.</p><p>“Pieces of them,” he replied with a slight shake of his head. “Couple of tweakers with sheets as long as my arm. My good arm anyway.” Dave added as he rubbed his nose.</p><p>“Gas explosion. At least that’s what they’re calling it.”</p><p>“What do you call it?” McCall probed.</p><p>“Tying up loose ends,” Dave replied, eyes slightly shifting in nervousness, but he portrayed it as if he were thinking. Robert pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it.</p><p>“Autopsy report. Stab wound. Two millimetres. The lower third rib,” he pointed out. <em>Shit</em>.</p><p>“Close quarter technique,” Dave answered, knowing exactly what it was.</p><p>“Exactly. That was taught,” McCall stated. “This was no robbery. Something else went on in that room.” Dave looked at the other man and shook his head.</p><p>“Mac, whatever it is, whatever you need….I’m in,” Dave replied, offering his services, knowing that he would, again, have to get someone else off his trail. <em>I can’t catch a fucking break, can I? Motherfucker!</em></p><p>“I know,” Robert replied with a nod.</p><p>“Same mud,” Dave spoke, holding his hand out.</p><p>“Same blood,” the other man replied, as he placed the paper into Dave’s hand and shook it. Robert got up and began to walk away.</p><p>“I’ll stay in touch,” he said, and Dave nodded, certain that McCall would reach out soon. <em>Goddammit. Son of a bitch. Motherfucker!</em> Curse after curse ran through his head as he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Resnik.</p><p>
  <b>Dave: We have a fucking problem. McCall is fucking alive and looking into the Brussels contract.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: What? Are you fucking kidding me?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dave: Find me someone to take care of him. Cleanly. Again. We cannot afford to let him find out that we were behind the hits.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: On it.</b>
</p><p>Dave went back to the agency, knowing that he would have to stay longer now. With Robert’s information, he knew that he had no other option but to look into Susan’s death some more, annoyed with more loose ends popping up. <em>Loose end after loose fucking end.</em> Susan was a great agent and investigator, but McCall was even better. He put Susan’s talents to shame and Dave knew it.</p><p>He brought the autopsy report to the men at the agency and instructed them to pull more of the information from the crime scene. Soon the board in a meeting room was full of photos of Susan’s body, the crime scene, and the autopsy report from McCall taped up next to it. The team began to look more closely at the details, trying to figure out who would target Susan and why. Dave looked at the board, examining the photos of the crime scene he had personally been at. No traces of his DNA were there, he made sure of that. No signs of his presence at all, so he had nothing to be concerned about, however, he still had to keep up appearances.</p><p>He sent you a text explaining that he would not be home for at least another day or so and you had replied with a mere ‘ok’. <em>Now I’m in trouble with her. Son of a bitch.</em> He had picked up on your odd behavior lately, ever since the second trip to Brussels, although he could not figure out why. You must have been keeping something from him, but this whole fiasco with Susan, and now McCall, was presenting a challenge for him, and he was unable to focus on you or the girls at the present moment. <em>First, get rid of McCall and make sure he stays dead this time. Then unearth why the hell she’s been acting so weird lately.</em></p><p>The many years that Dave had spent after McCall’s death had made him numb to the presence of the man, now back from the dead. Seven years ago, he might not have made the choices that he had recently made. Seven years ago, he would not have been plotting ways to kill his former friends. But many things could change in seven years and Dave was done pretending. He was done with the façade that he was not willing to do whatever it took to get his way. At this point, the ends justified the means. Even if that meant taking out the people he once considered his closest friends and allies.</p><p>As Dave took a seat on the table and began to say something to one of the techs, his phone began to buzz. He pulled it out of his pocket, not recognizing the number.</p><p>“York,” he answered, lifting the coffee cup to his lips.</p><p>“Dave,” came Robert’s voice, causing him to place his coffee cup back on the table and his eyes hardened. <em>What does he want now? </em>Dave signaled to the others that he needed a moment and walked out of the conference room.</p><p>“Listen, the gun…Next to Calbert was on his right side,” McCall spoke as Dave shut the door.</p><p>“He was right-handed. Why?”</p><p>“His wife was shot by somebody left-handed. Somebody else was in that room.” <em>Son of a bitch Kovac. Why the fuck did you have to use your left hand?! Small fucking details. Of course, Mac would pick up on that.</em></p><p>“Powder residue came back from a latex glove,” Dave stated as he took a seat on the windowsill. “Twenty thousand euros were found in the backpackers’ flat.” Dave saw a man walk down the hall and enter the conference room.</p><p>“Hey Bob,” he greeted, the phone still held up to his ear.</p><p>“Dave,” the other man replied.</p><p>“Those guys were set up,” he finally spoke into the phone.</p><p>“Right, Agency assets are taken out all the time. The opposite side loves sending a message. Why stage it?”</p><p>“They didn’t know he was one of ours,” Dave explained.</p><p>“Susan was about to figure out who was in that room. That’s why she was killed, Dave. The two were connected. I’ll get back to you when I know more.”</p><p>“Keep me posted,” he replied before hanging up. His mind was spinning. At this point, McCall would certainly be able to figure out that Dave was involved. The man was too good at his job to not. Dave sent a message to Resnik one more time.</p><p>
  <b>Dave: Do we have someone to take him out?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: Yeah. Turns out McCall drives Lyft so it’ll be easy to get someone close to him. It is set up for tonight.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Dave: Good, make sure he gets it done. No more fucking mistakes this time.</b>
</p><p>Dave needed to go home and see you, just in case shit with McCall hit the fan. He had a dreaded feeling that it would.</p><hr/><p>You were annoyed with Dave having to go to Washington right when you both landed from Brussels, but you understood that he needed to take care of work things first. You made him promise not to make this a habit as you were getting tired of it, and you knew that the girls were already used to one parent being absent in their life, you did not want to put them through having their second parent being gone all the time too. <em>At least this gives me a chance to go see a doctor.</em> You made an appointment with your doctor for the next day, knowing that Dave would be in DC for at least a few days. You were lucky enough that your doctor was able to squeeze you in on such short notice.</p><p>When you went to the doctor you were unable to sit still, anxiety through the roof as you waited in the waiting room for your name to get called. It seemed like time was passing by so slowly while you sat there thinking about how you were going to tell Dave. <em>How would he react? Would he be happy? We have not really had that conversation, and we have not even discussed the future.</em> You sat there spacing out for what felt like hours, when in fact it had only been minutes before your name was finally called. The medical assistant guided you to the exam room and gave you a gown to change into.</p><p>“Please confirm your name and date of birth,” she requested, and you rattled the information off to her. She nodded typed some stuff into the computer before she walked over to a drawer, and pulled out a cup with a lid, taping a label onto it. “Go ahead and step into the other room and pee in this cup, please. There will be a little door that you open and set the cup into once you are done, and then come back here and the doctor will be with you. Please change into the gown while waiting.” She exited the room while you sat there and stared at the cup.</p><p><em>Here goes nothing.</em> You stood up and stepped through the door into the bathroom, unscrewing the lid of the container and squatted down over the toilet. Once you were done with your business, you wiped the cup down and placed it behind the small door as instructed. You nervously changed into the gown and sat down on the seat, waiting for the doctor to return. You fidgeted nervously, leg bouncing and fingers tapping your knee, as you waited for the doctor to arrive.</p><p>Your mind began to wander, and you thought of the growing child inside of you. Tom had taken away your first two children, he had taken everything from you, and you hoped that the third time would be the charm. You knew from your last stint in the hospital that you may have a hard time bearing children due to how much trauma your body had been through, but you had hope. The doctors at the hospital had told you that there was a low chance you would be able to conceive again. And if you were able to manage that, you had a high chance of not being able to carry the baby to term. <em>Please let me have this. Please let me be able to have this baby, this miracle. Just this once,</em> you silently prayed as you picked at your fingernails.</p><p>A knock on the door pulled you from your thoughts and you straightened up.</p><p>“Come in,” you spoke. Your doctor walked in and smiled at you.</p><p>“Hello, how are you doing today, my dear?” she asked. “It has certainly been a little while.” You nodded at her words, looking up to meet her gaze.</p><p>“It really has. Um – I’m doing alright I guess,” you answered. She hummed and went to the computer to pull up your file.</p><p>“It says here that you scheduled this appointment because you suspect you might be pregnant?” You nodded once again. “When was the last day of your period? Any symptoms?”</p><p>“Um – I am actually not sure. According to my calendar, my last period was about three months ago, but they’ve always been a little irregular.” She took note of that and typed it into her computer. “I haven’t really had any symptoms. At least not obvious ones. Mood swings, maybe. Um – some weight gain. My breasts have been a little more tender. No morning sickness except a time when I threw up after smelling some cheese.”</p><p>“It says here that you were in the hospital about four or so months ago and had a D&amp;E due to a miscarriage, is that right?”</p><p>“Yes,” you quietly spoke, remembering that day in the hospital and the shocking news that you had unknowingly been pregnant and lost your baby. “I was about 4 months along then.”</p><p>“I see. Well, the tests came back, and from how high your hormone levels are we can confirm that you are pregnant. You said that your last period was about three or so months ago?”</p><p>“Yeah, give or take.”</p><p>“Let’s go ahead and bring you into the ultrasound room to see how far along you might be,” she said as she stood up. “From the HCG levels it does look like you are about three or so months, but I want to confirm and check for a heartbeat.” You trailed behind her, walking down a hall and into another room, one with several screens and a reclined seat with footholds.</p><p>“Go ahead and take a seat and place your feet on the rests there. Here is a cloth to put over your legs. I am going to put some jelly on your stomach. It might be a little cold,” she spoke as you followed her directions. “I am going to see if we can spot the little one through what we call a transducer probe on your belly, otherwise we may need to use the wand.” She lifted your gown and poured a generous amount of the gel onto your stomach, the cold sensation making you shiver lightly. She picked up the instrument and brought it to your stomach, moving it around a little bit and you watched the monitor for any sign of your child.</p><p>“Ah, there it is!” she exclaimed as you saw a little bubble appear on the screen, nestled inside was a small figure of a baby. It was curled up in itself and you could make out the head and feet. You watched as the baby shifted a bit and you felt tears well up at the sight. <em>I can’t believe it. That’s my baby. Dave’s baby.</em> The doctor moved the probe around a little more and pressed some buttons, taking pictures of the image on the screen. She pulled up another screen and you heard a loud and fast thumping. <em>Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. </em>The baby’s heartbeat, beating fast and strong, filled your ears and echoed throughout the room.</p><p>“The baby looks very healthy from what I can tell. It’s about nine centimeters, so judging from that size, we can confirm that you are about ten to eleven weeks along,” she spoke as you gazed at the screen in wonder.</p><p>“Wow,” you breathed out, unable to formulate any other words. She let out a chuckle at your reaction and moved the probe some more, getting more angles of the little embryo.</p><p>“Taking a guess, we can estimate that the date of conception was around the last week of June to early July,” the doctor stated. “Given how far along you are, and the conception point, I would place your due date to be around March 31<sup>st</sup> or so.” You were still in disbelief. You were nearly three months along, almost past your first trimester. You were snapped back to reality when your doctor spoke again. “Would you like me to print out two copies of the ultrasound or just one?”</p><p>“Um – yes, please. Two,” you clarified, still studying the baby figure on the screen. Your hands instinctively went to your lower stomach and cupped it. You were carrying a life inside of you and you could not believe it.</p><p>“Here you go,” she said as she handed you the pictures in an envelope. “Let’s get you cleaned up and I’ll escort you back to the room so you can get dressed. Let’s get you scheduled for a follow-up in about a month or so, or sixteen weeks.” You sat up and she handed you some tissues, letting you wipe off the goop on your belly. Once you were done you stood up and followed her back to the original exam room and she left you alone to dress. After pulling on your shirt and pants you cradled your stomach and stroked it.</p><p>“Hi little one,” you softly spoke. “I can’t wait to tell your daddy about you.” You left the exam room and shuffled to the front desk, informing them about scheduling you for an appointment. The woman at the front desk congratulated you and penciled you in, sending you a confirmation email and filling out a card with the appointment date and time on it. You happily took it and made your way out to your car, thoughts of your unborn child swirling around in your head.</p><hr/><p>Several days after your appointment Dave had returned home and greeted you with a bouquet and a passionate kiss. You were overjoyed that he was back, and the girls were also giddy with excitement that their father was finally home. They began to chatter away about their sleepover at Mel’s and how much fun they had as he pulled out another box of Belgian chocolates for them and you almost had to cover your ears from how loud they squealed. As you watched Dave interact with his daughters you felt a pang in your chest, wanting to tell him about the pregnancy now, but you had a feeling that it was still not the time.</p><p>You yearned to tell him but trusted your gut. That night you had told Dave that Carol was taking the girls for the weekend, wanting to spend a little time with them before she went off with Adrian to another vacation, and Dave groaned in protest but agreed. He did not want to argue with you about his ex-wife and knew that you would not give him a choice on the matter. You felt that the girls should have some kind of relationship with their mother, even if it was a strained one.</p><p>The following morning you were in the kitchen with Carol, Dave, and the girls getting prepared for them to leave with Carol to go to school, before she took them for the weekend. Dave had been acting strange all morning and kept checking his watch and phone, but you paid it no mind. Carol, so far, had been civil to the two of you, a façade in front of their daughters. Carol was packing some food up for the girls to snack on while you went upstairs to clean the bedroom, making sure the envelope was safely tucked into the bottom drawer of your nightstand, under some other papers. You decided that you would tell him tonight if you could.</p><hr/><p>Dave was nervous. He kept checking his phone and watch obsessively, waiting for a message from Resnik about McCall. They had sent someone after McCall last night, hoping to take him out, but had yet to hear from the man. Carol was busy getting snacks ready for the girls while he thought about the lack of communication from his asset.</p><p>“No crust either,” he heard Molly say. “Mom?”</p><p>“Eat up, sweetie,” Carol replied.</p><p>“Mom said I have to go to the dentist. She never has to go,” Alice whined from the table.</p><p>“The gardener?” she asked Dave and he ignored her, checking his watch.</p><p>“Grapes,” Molly said. “Can I have a treat?”</p><p>“You know where the grapes are!” Alice sassed. Dave let out a sigh as he set his cup of coffee down and turned around to open the freezer.</p><p>“Oh, my godddddd,” he groaned. “My life is so hard. Here are your grapes.” Molly let out a laugh at his antics.</p><p>“What?” Molly asked as he handed her a Ziploc bag to put the grapes in.</p><p>“Come on. Show me what you can do,” he said, gesturing to the bag and grapes.</p><p>“But…Seriously?” Molly asked, grumpy that she had to put the grapes into the bag herself.</p><p>“Seriously,” Dave replied as he walked over to Alice at the table.</p><p>“Come on,” Molly mumbled as she put the grapes into the bag one at a time.</p><p>“Hi, baby,” Dave said as he pressed a kiss to Alice’s head and sat down at the table beside her. “Mommy made a nice map.” Referring to you helping her this morning with homework.</p><p>“A, Maine. Very good,” Dave spoke as he studied the drawing. “B, New Hams….New Hamster.” Dave paused looking at the words. He looked at his watch and called after Carol. She had gone to check on who was knocking on the door but had yet to return.</p><p>“Carol? Who is it? Carol?” he called as he turned back to Alice and pointed out her mistake. “It’s New Hampshire, not “Her Hamster.”</p><p>“But I like it as “New Hamster,” Alice spoke with a pout.</p><p>“Okay, leave it “New Hamster,” Dave replied as he gave in to his daughter. He heard footsteps and turned, seeing Carol walk in with none other than Robert McCall. <em>Ah, fuck.This motherfucker just won’t die, will he?!</em></p><p>“The front doorbell is broken,” she stated. “Your old Army buddy was at the back door for five minutes.”</p><p>“Actually, I was his team leader, seven years,” Robert spoke with a smile.</p><p>“Oh my…I’m so sorry, I must have forgotten…This is,” Dave sputtered out. “Got the days mixed up. This is Robert. This is Carol.”</p><p>“Hi, my pleasure,” he greeted, shaking her hand.</p><p>“Hi. Pleasure to meet you,” she replied. “These are our daughters, Molly, Alice.”</p><p>“Come here. Say hi to – “ Dave spoke as Alice got up to say hi.</p><p>“Make yourself at home,” Carol said.</p><p>“Thank you,” Robert replied with a smile.</p><p>“Call him Mac,” Dave said. “Do you want some coffee?” <em>Son of a bitch.</em></p><p>“No. I’m fine, thank you.”</p><p>“Sorry about the mess. We were – “ Carol began.</p><p>“No problem,” Robert replied. Dave was inwardly twitching. McCall was not supposed to be here. <em>He should be fucking dead right now.</em></p><p>“I gotta get these two off to school,” Carol finally spoke. “Girls, let’s go. Out of these pajamas.” Robert held out his hand for the girls to high five and they met his hand with a slap as they left.</p><p>“Robert, nice to meet you,” Carol said as they walked out of the kitchen.</p><p>“Oh, my pleasure,” he replied. Dave ran his hand through his hair, not sure how to handle the situation.</p><p>“Sit down. Come here,” he finally spoke to Robert. “You all right?”</p><p>“Yeah. Yeah.” Mac replied, taking a seat at the table. Dave looked at the doorway, hoping that you would not walk into the kitchen. “You got a beautiful family.”</p><p>“Thanks. What’s going on?” Dave questioned, feigning concern as he took a seat next to Mac at the table.</p><p>“I took this off the guy who tried to kill me yesterday,” Mac said as he pulled a phone out of his pocket and set it on the table. <em>Clearly, he fucking failed at trying to kill you.</em> “It’s like you said, they’re cleaning up. Everybody’s who’s looking into the Brussels hit, nobody’s safe. You, your family, nobody.” Dave looked around as he picked up the phone, running his hands over the screen, seeing the numbers and letters.</p><p>“That’s military-grade encryption. You should take it to your office, run the numbers. Check the names against passenger manifests in and out of Brussels in the days surrounding the flight,” McCall continued. Dave turned the phone over in his hands. “Whoever we’re looking for made calls to that phone.”</p><p>“I’m on it. I’m on it,” Dave replied as he tucked the phone into his jacket pocket. He glanced at the doorway again before checking his watch, feeling McCall’s eyes on him. He turned back to Robert and watched as the man pulled out his phone and hit the screen a few times before Dave’s phone began to buzz next to him. <em>Fuck fuck fuck!!!!</em> <em>Goddammit!</em> Dave was seething. He was beyond livid. His lips formed a frown on his face as he looked up to meet McCall’s gaze boring into him.</p><p>“Tell me I’m wrong, Dave,” Robert said, staring Dave down. “You gonna answer it?” Dave could not speak. He tried to form words, unsure of how to answer. <em>Mac knows the truth. He fucking knows everything. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.</em></p><p>“What happened, Dave?” Mac asked. Dave pulled his buzzing phone out of his pocket and pointed it at the man, annoyance all over his face.</p><p>“You died,” he replied, pressing the phone to his lips before dropping the phone angrily onto the table with a sigh. “That’s what happened. Three months after you disappeared government shut us down. I went private right after. Doing the same things you and I did for God and country. Killing names on a piece of paper. Only now…Now there’s a price next to them.” Dave shook his head. <em>I can’t believe I have to justify myself to this fucking prick.</em></p><p>“We killed the enemy,” Robert replied.</p><p>“Who said they were the enemy?” he retorted. “Not us. Not me. We just followed orders.” Robert continued to stare at Dave silently, sizing the man up.</p><p>“Mac, there are no good and bad people anymore. No. No enemies. Just….” Dave trailed off. “Unfortunates.”</p><p>“And Susan?”</p><p>“Unfortunate,” he replied with a lick of his lips as he stood up and pressed his hand to his forehead. “No one knew the Brussels contract was a deep agency asset. Susan was gonna figure out who was in that dining room. She was the only one who could have, right?” Dave’s mind flashed back to the memory of finding Susan’s beaten and battered body in the hotel room. The feeling of sinking the knife into her heart. The way the light left her eyes as she let out her final breath. The lack of remorse he had for the action.</p><p>“Until you crawled out of your grave,” Dave spat out. “Susan worked in a dangerous world, Mac. Could have happened anytime by anybody.”</p><p>“But it wasn’t anybody, it was you.”</p><p>“Just…” Dave held up his hand to stop Mac. “You spare me that righteous bullshit, all right? You do what you have to do and you move on.”</p><p>“There’s no moving on from this, Dave. We gotta pay for our sins.” <em>Easy for you to say, you’ve been hiding out making everything think you were dead, you asshole.</em></p><p>“What about you? Do you deserve to die for yours?”</p><p>“Hundred times over,” McCall replied.</p><p>“Ah, all right. Well, guess what,” Dave seethed, “there is no sin. No virtue. It’s just shit people do. They trained us to kill people and risk our lives doing it. And then one day, you get a call saying they’re done with you. ‘Thank you for your service, here’s a plaque.’ You need a job? Good luck. You need medical insurance? See the VA.” He clenched his fist in anger, recalling the way he and his team were tossed out like garbage, expendable garbage.</p><p>“One day, you’re an asset. The next, you’re a fucking afterthought.” All the anger and hate Dave felt for what happened to him was rising to the surface. All the risks he had taken for the sake of his job, given to him by the fucking government, all thrown away without so much as a thank you from them. “It was a natural evolution. It’s who we were. It’s what we did. It’s what you did. Now it’s what we do.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>“It’s not just me, Mac,” Dave paused and looked at Robert. “It’s all of us. Ari, Resnik, Kovac. All of us.”</p><p>“Family,” the man retorted with a shake of his head. Dave nodded and stood up, indicating Mac to follow him. They waltzed outside and across the yard towards a silver Toyota 4Runner, Dave holding out his hand to tell the guys not to worry as they stepped out of the vehicle. Ari, Resnik, and Kovac stepped out to greet their former team leader.</p><p>“Gentleman,” Robert greeted.</p><p>“Mac,” Resnik replied. “Pretty good for a dead guy.”</p><p>“We all want you to know, none of this is personal,” Dave spoke, hands on his hips as he turned to face Mac.</p><p>“What you do and become is not my concern,” Mac stated. “The world is full of so-called men like you. And in a perfect world, everything we do comes with a price. But this it ain’t a perfect world. People do bad things. If you’re lucky, you get a chance, to set it right. But most of the time, it goes unpunished. This ain’t one of them times.” Robert held his head up high as he looked at each of the men. Dave narrowed his gaze at the man, fighting back the urge to kill him right there in the street.</p><p>“The mistake you made was you killed my friend. So, I’m gonna kill each and every one of you. And the only disappointment is that I only get to do it once.” The boys looked at Robert, each of them with an unreadable expression.</p><p>“Train’s gotta go. Alice has music practice at 7:45. Hey, Ari, fellas!” Carol greeted as she made her way outside with the girls. “Robert, hope to see you again.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you too!” he replied. Dave kissed his hand and raised it to the girls, his expression turning dark right after as he looked at Mac. <em>If we weren’t out in the open, and my daughters were not right there, I would fucking kill you right now, Mac.</em> “Dave said you could give me a lift to the station?”</p><p>“Help and company? Let’s go!” Carol happily replied. Robert grinned at them as he began to back away towards Carol and the girls.</p><p>“See? Help and company.” Robert made finger guns at them as Resnik’s eyes flickered to Dave and rubbed his hands. They all watched as McCall joined Carol and the girls, all wondering how this was going to play out. Dave watched as the car drove off and he kept his composure while the car was in sight. As it turned a corner and left his field of vision his anger broke loose.</p><p>“FUCK!” he shouted, causing Resnik to flinch. “We need to take care of this motherfucker. Kovac, find out where he fucking lives. We’re going to take him out tonight. In the meantime, Resnik, Ari, take care of Brian.” Each of the men nodded as they set about with their given tasks. Dave turned on his heel and marched back to the house, seeing you looking out the window. <em>Fuck, this is not going to be good.</em></p><hr/><p>You had helped Carol get the girls dressed for school, and packed for their stay with her while waiting for Dave. Carol had told you that an old friend of his had stopped by and you were curious as to who it was, but when you snuck down the stairs to meet them, you overheard part of their conversation.</p><p>“And Susan?” you heard an unfamiliar voice speak.</p><p>“Unfortunate,” Dave had answered. With those words, you instantly knew that Dave had been caught. Someone else had been looking into Susan’s death and now knew the truth. Who it was, you had yet to find out, but this did not bode well. You crept back upstairs to finish getting the girls ready before they each kissed you and walked out the door with Carol. You walked over to the window to see Dave and the man standing in the street, speaking to the boys. You watched curiously through the window as Dave and the boys listened to the man, as he gestured to each of them. It seemed that they were all familiar with him, but you could tell by the way Dave stood and the body language that he was holding himself back from killing the man right there. But you knew he would not risk it out in the open, especially with the girls right there. You watched as the man got into the car with Carol and the girls and drove off.</p><p>You watched in concern as Dave let out a yell before he began to bark orders at the other three men angrily. He turned to walk back into the house when he looked up and saw you in the window, letting out a sigh. You stepped back from the window, took a seat on the bed, and waited for Dave to come inside. You heard the distinct sound of the door slamming and his footsteps heavy on the stairs. It was very much unlike him to act this way. So, unlike him to walk heavily instead of the normal light-footedness he usually had. So, unlike him to yell. Whoever the man was, must have caused him quite a bit of trouble in order to cause Dave to lose his composure like that. You heard the door open and Dave step through, aggravation and anger emanating from him as if it was steam were radiating from his body.</p><p>“What is it? What’s going on?” you inquired, worried about Dave’s state of mind. “Speak to me, Dave. Who was that man?” He looked at you and his hardened eyes softened. He knelt at your feet and grasped your hands in his before he took a deep breath.</p><p>“That man was my old partner, Robert McCall. The boys and I thought he died seven years ago, when a building collapsed on him, but apparently not,” he began to explain, his voice filled with nothing but distaste for the man. “He found out about the Brussels hit and Susan.” Your eyes widened.</p><p>“What does that mean?”</p><p>“It means that he made it personal and threatened to kill myself and the boys,” Dave admitted, letting out a breath. Your head began to spin. You felt your chest tighten in fear. The uneasiness you had been feeling lately finally coming to the surface.</p><p>“What are you going to do?” you whispered out. “Are you going to kill him too?”</p><p>“Yes,” he confessed. “I have no other choice. Mac is a loose end, and I have to take him out before he takes us out. Otherwise, I’m going to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, and I don’t want that. Not for the girls. Not for you.” Tears brimmed on the corners of your eyes. You squeezed his hands and nodded, acknowledging that he was left with no other option. He had to do what he had to do. He had to kill someone yet again. One more time. To protect himself; protect his family. Whatever it took. You understood that if Dave was ever found out, he would be shown no mercy by the authorities, much less the agency that he worked for. After all, he had been taking side contracts and killing people for a price. Something that was frowned upon by the government unless it was on their orders.</p><p>“Make sure you kill the bastard, and that he stays dead this time,” you said with resolve, not wanting your family to get torn apart by a ghost from the past. You stood up and went over to the nightstand, pulling the envelope out and walking back over to Dave. You took a seat back on the bed and gingerly handed him the envelope. “But promise me, no matter what, that you’ll come back. Come back to me. To us.” Dave opened the envelope and sucked in a breath. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he gazed down at the little black and white photo he held in his hands. He looked up at you and met your watchful stare, tears now streaming down your face.</p><p>“Is this – is it really?” he spoke, unable to get the words out properly. He was in shock. He had hoped for this the last several months, and here it was, his hopes come to life, literally. You nodded your head at his question, holding back a sob. Dave got up and pulled your face to his, kissing you, pouring all the passion he had into the kiss. He wiped away your tears as he took a step back, handing you the photograph. You looked at him confused as he disappeared into the closet for a moment. He reemerged with his hand behind his back and knelt back down at your feet, this time on one knee instead of two.</p><p>“I – uh – wanted to do this at a better time, and I know the timing is probably all fucked up, but I’m going to have to leave tonight to handle things with Mac, and I – I want to do this before I go,” he spoke, voice breaking slightly, his resolve wavering. <em>I could just stay here with her. Stay with our child. But Mac will stop at nothing until he kills me. I have to kill him first</em>. He pulled his hands out from behind him and your breath hitched. In his hands nestled a little blue box, the silver words “Tiffany &amp; Co.” written on it. More tears spilled out as he opened the lid, and you were met with the most beautiful ring you had ever set your eyes on. As the light caught the diamond you could see it sparkle and you could no longer choke back a sob.</p><p>“I know I have not been the best at expressing my feelings for you. I was hoping that the first trip to Brussels sort of conveyed that, but I wanted to solidify it with you and tell you upfront. I love you, baby. I love you so much, and I want to marry you once this is all over. I fucking <em>promise</em> that I will marry you.”</p><p>“I – I love you too, Dave,” you sputtered out, letting out another sniffle, at his admission. You knew he rarely expressed his feelings like this. He had never spoken the words to you, but you had picked up on his actions over time. He took the ring out of the box and held it up.</p><p>“Sweetheart, will you marry me?” You nodded your head vigorously as he took your hand in his and you watched in awe as he slid the ring on with ease. It was a perfect fit. You admired the giant princess cut diamond that was framed by a pavé set diamond band. <em>This rock is probably at least a two, if not three, carat diamond. Holy fuck.</em> You had been admiring rings that were similar to this one for some time, and now you had one that rested on your finger. One that promised you to Dave, signifying the love you both held for each other. You pulled Dave to you in a heated kiss, arms thrown around his neck as he cradled your face in his hands. You never wanted to let go, never wanted the moment to end.</p><p>“You better fucking come back to me, David York,” you demanded with a whisper as you pulled away, resting your forehead against his, eyes pleading.</p><p>“I promise.”</p><p>Unbeknownst to the both of you, life had other ideas.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The long-awaited showdown!!!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Language, graphic descriptions of violence and blood, ANGST, so much angst, smut, major character death?🤐</p><p>A/N: Please don’t come for me after this chapter. XD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You could not stop staring at the ring adorning your finger, ogling its beauty as the light caught it, making it sparkle. You were engaged. To Dave. He had proposed to you. He had actually proposed to you. He had promised to spend the rest of his life with you. It was not a dream. This was reality. A reality that you greeted joyously. <em>Wow.</em> You never thought that this would ever happen. You doubted for a while that he would ever take that step with you.</p><p><em>After all, he has been married once before, and look how that turned out. Granted, she did cheat on him, but either way</em>. You were fearful that he would get bored with you, just like he did with Carol. You were still concerned, but the ring that rested on your finger, and the little life growing inside of you, that he helped create, allowed you to push your distress to the side. For the time being at least.</p><p>Now you only had to stress about Dave’s confrontation with McCall. You knew that he was headed to McCall’s residence that evening, and you had great confidence that he would take care of the job. Dave was more than capable of handling the situation, but you also knew nothing about McCall or his skill. Dave had told you that McCall had been their team leader, which meant he had was just as skilled as Dave, if not maybe more if he was their previous team leader. You shook all doubts out of your head. <em>Dave will take care of it and come back home. To the girls. To me. To our baby.</em></p><p>You absentmindedly began to stroke your belly, lost in your dreams. You had not popped yet, but after you stood in front of the mirror for almost an hour earlier that day, you could see the small bump protruding. You walked over to the window and gazed out at the sunset, thinking about the future and the possibilities it held. You thought about possibly asking Dave about turning the guest room into a nursery when he got back. You wanted to get lost in decorating the room and preparing it for the arrival of your little one. You wanted to laugh at Dave as you watched him balance on a ladder, throwing beautiful colors up on the ceiling while you stood there and watched, belly full and round.</p><p><em>Maybe we could paint it yellow or green, I don’t want to paint it the generic blue or pink once we find out the baby’s sex. Although a little boy would be nice.</em> You had always wanted to have a son, and you suspected that Dave wanted the same. Since he already had two daughters you wanted to expand your family and throw a son to the mix. You wanted the girls to have a little brother, though you were sure they would be just as excited if it was a little sister they would be gaining. Your thoughts wandered to how you would tell Molly and Alice about the baby. <em>Would they be excited? Would they be happy about the prospect of a new sibling?</em></p><p>Your mind then drifted to the prospect of telling them the news of your engagement to their father. How would they react to finding out you and Dave were going to get married? Especially when it's so soon after he had divorced Carol? They had already referred to you as their mom and spent more time with you than they did with Carol. You had a feeling that they would be overjoyed at the news, though Carol was a completely different matter. Dave had divorced her not too long ago and she had been none too happy about that, even though she had moved in with Adrian and was living her own life.</p><p>You knew that she frequently went on trips with her lover, leaving the girls with you or their grandparents whenever she saw fit. But the idea of telling her about the inevitable marriage made you shiver. You would guess that the news of your engagement to Dave would anger her. You knew she had been civil to you for the sake of the girls, at least in front of them, but behind her fake persona, you could feel her disdain for you. In her mind, even though she was the one at fault and broke her marriage apart, you were the one who stole her husband away. The one that walked into their lives and turned it all upside down. <em>Well, Carol, you cannot have your cake and eat it too.</em></p><p>You checked your phone, hoping for a text from Dave or even a call, but saw nothing. You let out a sigh as you laid on the bed, pulling his pillow to your body, and clung onto it as if it were him. You inhaled his scent, his aroma filled your nose, and it helped to calm your pounding heart. After the proposal he had taken you to bed, promising multiple times that he would return as he drove himself into you over and over again.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><p>“I promise.” The moment the words escaped his lips, you flung yourself at him, tackling him to the ground with a kiss. You wanted him. All of him. Now.</p><p>“Take me to bed, Dave,” you whispered against his lips. He replied with a kiss as he flipped the two of you over, hovering above you. You felt his hand crawl up your side as he deepened the kiss, running his tongue along your lips before dipping in. Your tongues battled for dominance as he slipped his hand under your shirt, gliding up until it cupped your breast. You sucked in a breath as he ground himself against you, feeling his hardened length through his pants. A pool of wetness rushed down, and you felt it leak out, soaking your underwear.</p><p>You wrapped your legs around his waist, grinding yourself against him in earnest, and he groaned at the action. He squeezed your side and you bucked up against him, seeking out more friction. He slid his hand from your side to cup your ass, pulling you up against him, as he moved to his knees and then his feet, lifting the two of you from the floor. He walked toward the bed and you felt the softness meet your back as he dropped you onto the plush comforter. You gazed at him through your lashes, lust-blown eyes meeting his, as he unbuttoned his dress shirt and began to slide it off of his shoulders. You felt warmth spread through your body at the sight. No matter how many times you saw him like this, it never failed to turn you on like an animal in heat.</p><p>He tugged the piece of cloth off his body, then pulled the other shirt under it over his head, tossing it to the side. You licked your lips as he undid his pants, and pushed them down, revealing his rigid cock to your hungry eyes. You beckoned him with your finger, and he smirked, proudly waltzing over to you, as you got on all fours on the bed. You eagerly reached for his cock and wrapped a fist around it, pumping him slowly, and watched as he threw his head back with a moan. You leaned forward and licked a stripe up from the base to the tip, engulfing the head with a suck. Dave shoved himself deep into your mouth and you felt him hit the back of your throat, making you gag a little.</p><p>You took it in stride and began to bob your head up and down on his length, using your tongue to swirl around it. He balled your hair up on your head, using it as a grip to keep your head in place, fucking your mouth harder. Tears threatened to spill, and you struggled to breathe through your nose between his thrusts, but you held strong, relaxing your throat to take him down easier. He fucked your face hard and fast, constantly hitting the back of your throat. He wrapped his free hand around your throat and groaned out, feeling his dick glide in and out. He was growing close to his release when he stopped and pulled you off him, gently tugging on your hair to bring you up for a kiss.</p><p>You needed to feel his skin on yours, so you shed your shirt over and unclasped your bra hastily, as he worked to rid you of your pants. Once you were as naked as he was, you drew him by the shoulders onto the bed, pulling him over you. He caught his weight on both arms, not wanting to crush you, as he cupped your face and kissed you tenderly.</p><p>“I love you,” he spoke softly as he pulled away and pressed his forehead against yours. Your heart loudly pounded in your chest. He started peppering kisses over your nose, then on each cheek, then down your neck. He sucked a few marks onto your neck and lapped at each one lovingly, as you moaned at the contact. He continued his way down, kissing each breast, taking a nipple into his mouth, twirling his tongue around it. He then moved to the other one, making sure to give each breast the same amount of attention. You arched your back into his mouth, feeling the heat and wetness over each peak, and let out a gasp as he blew on each nipple before resuming his descent. Once he reached your mound, he could see that you were dripping onto the bed, and his cock twitched at the sight. He wanted to claim you hard and fast, but refrained, wanting to make sweet love to you instead. You wiggled your hips in anticipation, growing impatient, as he flicked his tongue over his lips, before finally licking a tantalizing slow line across your opening.</p><p>“Please,” you whined out when he repeated the action, another slow lick up your entrance before he finally wrapped his lips around your clit and sucked. Your hips bucked at their own accord, more slick running out of you, as he easily slipped two fingers into your warmth, curling them upwards. Your eyes crossed as he pumped his fingers in and out of you, and sucked on your clit harder, your moans increasing in volume. You grabbed his head, pushing it down slightly, as he added a third finger and picked up his pace. You were in heaven. The feel of his fingers inside of you, as he began to alternate between gently nipping and sucking on your clit, was beginning to overwhelm you.</p><p>You wriggled your hips against his mouth as he continued his assault, seeking out more pleasure. He released your clit with a little pop and switched things up, using his thumb to draw small circles over your clit as he plunged his tongue into your cunt. The sensation sent a flood of pleasure through you and you tugged on his hair, exhaling a wanton moan. He sped up his ministrations, wanting to hear more of your noises as he kept up the onslaught with his tongue and thumb. He added more pressure to your clit, curling his tongue in just the right way inside of you, and you let out an ear-piercing shriek. Head rearing back, thighs clamped around his head, electricity coursed through your body as your climax washed over you. Dave continued to lap up your sweet nectar, not wanting to waste a single drop, as you rode out your high. Once you settled down, he unlatched his lips from your pussy and looked up at you with a grin.</p><p>“Think I could just give this up, sweetheart?” he teased, running a finger through your juices as he rose to capture your lips with his. “I promise I’ll come back, even if it’s just for this fucking perfect pussy.” You rolled your eyes at his words.</p><p>“Sure, not for me or the baby, or even the girls, but for the sex,” you answered with fake annoyance. “To hell with getting married too.”</p><p>“Well, now that you mention it, I guess I can come back for all that too,” he answered, gripping his cock, teasing your entrance with the tip. You were torn between letting out a scoff at his sarcastic words, or a moan at his actions, when he pushed the head of his cock into you, drawing out a moan instead.</p><p>“If you don’t come back, I will find you and drag you back myself,” you groaned out, lifting your hips in an attempt to pull his body closer and cock deeper.</p><p>“I would never leave you or the girls,” he replied as he pulled back, not giving you what you desperately wanted. “Or our little one. Ever.”</p><p>“Good, because you promised,” you breathed out, wiggling your hips, causing the head of his cock to drag along your opening, just out of reach.</p><p>“I did, and I’ll say it again,” he breathed into your ear, gently biting it, before driving himself home with a single thrust. You let out a loud gasp as you felt his girth stretch you out, loving the fullness of it. “I promise.”</p><p>“Oh, Dave!” you exclaimed, feeling him pull out of you and slowly push back in. “I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too, baby girl,” he groaned, burying his head in your neck. “I love you so much.” He drew back inch by inch and slowly sank into your core. He held your hip with one hand, bracing himself with the other, as he continued his leisurely pace. He loved the tightness of your walls wrapping around him. As he sheathed himself fully into you, he stilled, cock throbbing in your heat. Your whimpers of pleasure spurred him on, as he unhurriedly pulled out of you and then plunged in with a harsh thrust. He never wanted the moment to end. He never wanted to leave the comfort and love that surrounded him.</p><p>“I will come back,” he murmured, grinding his hips into yours as he hit deep into your core. “I fucking promise.” You nodded and turned your head to catch his mouth in a kiss. He shifted so he was braced on both his hands as he looked down at you, love and passion in his eyes. He moved the two of you into a seated position without breaking the both of you apart, a feat not easily done. His arms circled your back, keeping you close, as he stared deep into your eyes. Dave lifted you off his length slightly before bringing you down, hitting a different spot inside of you, eliciting a loud moan. He repeated the motion, driving himself deeper with each upward push, and then angled his hips striking that magical spot. Your vision blurred, the pounding of your heart rang in your ears, and you saw stars. Your vision turned hot white as you gushed around him, throwing your head back in pleasure. You felt his grip on you tighten and he let out a grunt as his cock throbbed and released his essence inside you, the tightening of your walls pushing him over the edge. If his seed had not already taken root, it surely would have with that.</p><p>“I will return,” he vowed, drawing your lips to his as he felt rope after rope of his cum paint your walls. You hummed against his mouth and he shifted. He pulled out of you, your mixed fluids leaking when he released you and turned you over onto your hands and knees. “I will <em>always</em> come back to you.”</p><p>“I –,” your words were cut off as he sank into you with a hard snap of his hips, taking you off guard. He had just finished, yet he was still rock hard, body craving more of you. He set a brutal pace, relentlessly drilling his stiffness into you. You gripped the comforter, meeting his hips with yours, as he pounded you from behind. As much as you enjoyed the tender lovemaking you had shared, you also loved when he let his primal nature take over and ravage you unforgivingly. He pushed your head down, cheek resting against the bed, as he slanted your hips up and began to rail harder into your leaking center. Your hold on the bed tightened, feeling him bring you closer and closer to your third orgasm. The sounds of your bodies meeting, the slap of his balls against your clit, your moans and his groans, the sloshing of your wetness around his cock, filled the room, echoing against the walls.</p><p>“Fuck, baby,” he grunted out, feeling his balls tighten as he grew closer to the precipice. “I fucking – <strong>*thrust* - </strong>promise - *<strong>thrust* - </strong>that I will - <strong>*thrust* -</strong> come back and - <strong>*thrust*</strong> - fucking marry you.” Your eyes rolled to the back of your head at the endless pleasure he was giving you. His words further fueled your desire and need, his continuous onslaught to your pussy overwhelming you.</p><p>“Ugh – D – D – Dave,” you cried out as he circled his hips, quickening his pace.</p><p>“I promise - <strong>*thrust* - </strong>I will fucking - <strong>*thrust* - </strong>put - <strong>*thrust*</strong> - another baby - <strong>*thrust* -</strong> into this - *<strong>thrust* -</strong> perfect cunt.” At his declaration, he sank into your soaked core one final time, pulling you up against his chest, and gripped your breast, emptying the last of his cum into you, some of it dribbling out and down your legs. His climax triggered your earth-shattering orgasm, and you let out a wail, hand grasping his, As your legs shook uncontrollably. Wave after wave of pleasure flooded you, and you collapsed onto the bed with a huff.</p><p>“I – I – fuck,” you heaved out, struggling to formulate words, your mind in a haze. “I fucking love you.” Dave let out a chuckle, tossing himself onto the bed next to you, and pulled you to his side, placing a tender kiss on your forehead.</p><p>“I love you too, sweetheart. And I promise you, I will return,” he vowed. “No matter what.”</p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>When he left later that evening, the two of you embraced, and he had reluctantly said goodbye to you, stroking your hair reassuringly.</p><p>“No matter what it takes, I will always come back. To you, to our baby, and the girls. To our family. I promise. And I never break a promise. Especially not this one,” he said, and you had insisted that he tuck the second set of ultrasound photos into his jacket pocket as a reminder of that promise. When he broke your embrace, he leaned down to kiss you, pouring so much love and passion into it, as if it would be the last one you two would share. He walked to the car, where Kovac patiently waited, when he turned and shouted out that he loved you, before climbing in. You stood there and watched them pull away, waving and blowing him a final kiss as he halfheartedly smiled at you. As the car drove out of sight, the perturbed feeling you had about the situation returned, forming a large knot in the pit of your stomach, and you tried to shake the worries away. <em>Dave will come back. I know he will. He has to. He promised. And he said he never breaks a promise. He cannot break this one. He won’t. I know he won’t.</em></p><hr/><p>Dave glanced down at his phone and saw a message from Resnik. <em>This better be about Brian.</em> Opening the message, he clutched the phone in his hand, squeezing it hard.</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: Brian got away. Looks like he knew we were coming.</b>
</p><p><b>“</b>Fuck!” he cursed as he sped to McCall’s apartment. They pulled up outside of McCall’s apartment building and got out of the car. It was raining so he tucked his gun into the sleeve of his jacket before exiting, while Kovac had a pizza delivery bag with empty pizza boxes in it, his gun resting inside. He heard dogs barking as they walked through the courtyard, Kovac on one side, Dave on the other. They approached the door, and Kovac drew his gun while he opened it. <em>This ends tonight.</em></p><p>They walked up the stairs quietly, steps barely echoing in the hallway. He began to pick the lock to Mac’s apartment as Kovac stood watch, making sure nobody was in sight. He could hear a voice inside of the apartment, but it did not sound like it was Robert. Once he successfully unlocked the door, he drew his gun, suppressor screwed on, and cautiously stepped in. They made their way through the apartment, studying each room for any sign of Mac. He walked into the bedroom and approached the bathroom, pulling the door open, finger on the trigger, ready to shoot. <em>Nothing.</em></p><p>“Clear,” Kovac spoke to him and he nodded. No sign of McCall anywhere. He turned his head and eyed the bookshelf, lined with an assortment of books. He never took Mac as one to read some of these books. <em>Though </em><em>I would not put it past him to have something hidden behind this. </em>He ran his hand over each book and reached behind them, trying to feel for a button or switch. <em>Nothing. Fuck.</em> He glanced down at the floor by the mirror, seeing if anything indicated that it could open. Flashlight in hand, he examined the wood and the seams and then shined the light onto the reflective glass. <em>Looks like a two-way mirror.</em> Dave breathed onto it, his warm breath fogging up the glass before he began to draw a sad face then cross it out. He held his gun up, ready to shoot it when his phone rang. With the weapon still held up, he pulled out his phone and brought it to his ear.</p><p>“How you doing, Dave? You know who it is.” he heard Mac’s voice through the earpiece. “Since you’re in my house, water my plants for me, will you? I’m not gonna be back for a while.” <em>You piece of shit motherfucker. Thinking he can taunt me like this. I will fucking show him.</em></p><p>He stood up and lowered the gun. It was obvious that the man was not there but was watching them. He turned around and spotted the smoke detector in the corner, knowing a camera was placed inside.</p><p>“It’s a mistake to go to war with us, McCall,” he threatened through the phone, as he gazed at the camera, knowing Mac was watching.</p><p>“You got it backwards. You’re going to war with me,” Robert spoke. “You know where I’ll be.” Then the line went dead. He took a seat on Mac’s bed, pulling his beanie off, before laying down and staring at the ceiling. His eyes shifted to the painting on the wall. <em>The beach. He is going back to his house on the beach.</em> He sat up, seeing that Kovac had helped himself to the orange juice. He rolled his eyes at the other man.</p><p>“I know where he’s headed,” he stated as he stood up and exited the room. “He’s going home.” They strode toward the front door, and Kovac exited and shutting the door behind him. He stayed behind, hidden in the room next to the front door. He knew someone that Mac cared about was in the apartment and could hear their footsteps as they cautiously moved through the apartment. <em>Bingo</em>. He watched as a teenager came to the door and looked out of the peephole, checking if the men still there. <em>Wrong move, kid.</em> The young man opened the door and was about to make his escape when Kovac walked in front of him and Dave moved to stand behind him, gun pointed to the back of the teenager’s head.</p><p>“Hey, kid,” he greeted as the young man froze. “Back up.” The teenager did as instructed and pressed his back to the wall. He trained the gun on the teen as Kovac closed the door.</p><p>“Who are you?” he gruffly questioned. The young man stayed silent, frozen in fear. “I’ll ask again, who the fuck are you?” The teenager swallowed and opened his mouth to speak.</p><p>“M – M -Miles,” he managed to stutter out.</p><p>“Miles, what are you doing in this apartment?”</p><p>“I – I – I – uh – I was painting Mr. McCall’s – uh- kitchen.”</p><p>“Oh? Are you friends with Mr. McCall?” Dave asked in a mocking tone. “Answer me!” Miles nodded, terrified.</p><p>“Ye – Yeah. I guess so.”</p><p>“In that case, you are going to have to come with us,” he stated, roughly grabbing the back of Miles’ sweater and shoved him out of the apartment, Kovac leading the way to the car. He tucked his gun away once they set foot outside, and strode to the car.</p><p>“Get in the trunk,” Kovac spoke as he opened the rear of the car. Miles looked at Dave and then Kovac, hesitating.</p><p>“Get in the fucking car, kid. Before I make you,” he spat out, hand twitching to pull out his gun and force the teen inside. Miles held his arms up and complied. Once inside, Dave and Kovac tied Miles’ hand and feet together,  and taped his mouth shut, ensuring that he could not move or cry for help. He stared down at the boy before shutting the trunk. “You can thank Mr. McCall for this.” <em>This kid is going to be our insurance. Mac is too soft to let us kill him. He cares too much.</em></p><p>They slid into the car and he sent a message to Resnik.</p><p>
  <b>Dave: Meet us at the beach house where Robert and Vivienne used to live.</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Resnik: On our way.</b>
</p><hr/><p>They drove through the night until they reached the seaside town, seeing a police SUV beside the roadway.</p><p>“What do we have here?” Kovac asked as they approached the small shack by the road. They pulled up and stopped as an officer flagged them down, holding his hand up. Dave rolled down the window as the officer stepped towards their car.</p><p>“I need you to turn around. Town’s been evacuated,” he shouted over the loud gusts of wind. He held up his gun and fired two shots, killing the officer, before they continued into the deserted town. <em>At least there will not be any other people to get rid of. </em>Dave rolled his window as they drove through and he studied the buildings, trying to calculate where McCall would be. <em>Probably his old house, but that would be too predictable. Too easy.</em></p><p>“Where are you?” Dave spoke out as they kept driving, passing buildings and cars, wind and rain whipping against their vehicle. “Slow down.” Dave looked out the window as they passed a building.</p><p>“That was his wife’s bakery,” he stated pointing to it, before pointing forward. “Go.” <em>Where the fuck are you, Mac? Come out, you fucking coward.</em></p><p>They drew closer to the edge of town, right by the sea, and Dave saw a spot for them to stop at.</p><p>“Pull over here,” he instructed and Kovac turned the wheel to stop the car, Ari and Resnik following their lead. As they pulled off the road, he took out the ultrasound photo, as well as a photo of you that he had hidden in his pocket, and longingly gazed down. <em>I will come back,</em> he vowed, bringing the photo of you to his lips. Before exiting the vehicles, each of the men strapped their gear on, donning bullet-proof vests, serrated steel knives strapped to their legs, 9mm Glock handguns, grenades, both stun and fragment, and finally their AR-15 rifles, all with extended magazines packed with high-velocity rounds. They were armed to the teeth with all that weaponry that you would think they were going to war. In a way they were. Against Mac. Against their former friend.</p><p>“Clear the alley. Mac’s house is back there,” he yelled as they split off into two teams, and began to survey the land and structures. Resnik and Dave walked down the road, Resnik taking point, as Ari and Kovac checked a house. He heard them breach the door and throw a stun grenade inside, a <b><em>BANG</em></b> piercing through the gusts of wind.</p><p>“Making entry, yellow house,” Kovac spoke into the radio. A moment later Dave heard him speak into the walkie again. “All clear. Coming out.”</p><p>They kept moving along the dirt road, coming up on more houses. <em>Where the fuck are you hiding, Mac? </em>Resnik and Dave paused at the corner and Resnik motioned towards a tower.</p><p>“Taking high ground,” he said, going around Resnik, through the fence, toward the tower. He arrived at the door and walked up, throwing his weight against the door. It flew open with a thud and birds flew out, causing him to move and let them out. He ducked inside and began to climb the stairs, two at a time, before reaching the top. He spotted the door that led to the rooftop and scaled the ladder, flinging the metal cover open<em>.</em> He dropped his backpack onto the ground by the opening and climbed up, pulling the bipod down for his rifle, and settled himself into the prone position. He looked through the scope, keeping an eye on the boys, as he caught a figure in the corner of his eye running by them.</p><p>“I got movement, 12 o’clock,” Dave spoke into the walkie, alerting the team to Mac’s presence. Kovac turned and fired off two shots, missing McCall as he hit behind a shed. “Kovac, move in.” The man followed his order and pursued Mac.</p><p>“Ari, what’s your sitrep?” He asked.</p><p>“Locking down, south side,” Ari replied, as he knelt by the fence. He continued to watch through his scope as Kovac disappeared around the side of a building.</p><p>“Making entry, north side,” the man said into the mic before they heard another <b><em>BANG</em></b> of a stun grenade. A moment later they heard gunfire and then silence.</p><p>“Kovac. Kovac!” Ari yelled into the radio as he saw the point of a harpoon break through the wall. “Kovac, come back!”</p><p>“Shots fired! Shots fired! I’m going in. Going in,” Resnik shouted as he stood up and approached the building Kovac had entered. <em>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!</em></p><p>“York, you got eyes on him?” Ari asked.</p><p>“I see him,” he answered, watching Resnik through the scope.</p><p>“Making entry, north side,” Resnik stated as he followed the path Kovac took. Dave watched as Ari stood up and moved positions to cover Resnik. “Kovac’s down. He’s gone.”</p><p>“Say again,” he asked, unable to hear Resnik over the slapping of the wind.</p><p>“Kovac. He’s down. He’s fucked,” came his teammate's reply. <em>Fuck!</em></p><p>“Push towards the ocean,” he commanded. “Repeat, push towards the ocean.” He kept an eye on the two remaining men as they split up, walking down the alleyways between houses. With each passing moment, his irritation grew, especially when he spotted Mac’s silhouette run past a house.</p><p>“Ari. Resnik! Somebody talk to me,” he demanded over the radio.</p><p>“Ari’s down! Ari’s down!” He heard Resnik yell into the coms. “And Mac made a fucking mess of him!” <em>Fuck! He is picking us off one by fucking one. </em>His anger turned into rage. He was not going to let Mac take them down.</p><p>“There are pictures of Susan everywhere,” Resnik continued, panic beginning to take hold. He could tell that the man was beginning to grow frantic, especially seeing the photos of Susan. “He’s picking us apart, man! I need fucking eyes!” <em>Mac is playing a fucking mind game with us. Son of a bitch. He is getting to Resnik. </em>He watched as Resnik made his way out into the open and he shifted his position to get a better visual of the last remaining man on the ground. A transformer on a pole exploded in front of him and he lost sight of Resnik, unable to see through the smoke.</p><p>“Goddammit!” he cursed. <em>Fuck you, Mac. Fuck you.</em></p><p>“I’m on the southwest corner of the yellow building,” he heard Resnik state. “I got a blood trail. Looks like he’s headed across the main drag.”</p><p>“Rear of the bakery!” He yelled out as he stood up and changed positions. <em>He’s fucking using his dead wife’s bakery. Sick fuck.</em></p><p>“Copy that.” He watched as Resnik sprinted across the street towards the bakery, checking his corners carefully.</p><p>“Move inside, Resnik. Move inside.” A storm of bullets unexpectedly hailed down around Dave and he ducked, hearing the shots ricochet against the tower railings. The gunfire stopped and Dave poked his head up in time to see an explosion rip through the bakery and McCall’s figure run across the street. He trained his sights on the man and fired, but missed and instead shattered the truck’s mirror beside him. <em>Shit! </em>He tracked Mac’s movements and fired again just as the man ducked behind a building.</p><p>“Resnik, do you copy?” Silence greeted him. “Resnik! Come back!” He spotted Resnik’s mangled body on the ground, torn open from the blast.</p><p>“Fuck!” Dave knew he had to face Mac alone now.</p><p>“Just me and you, Dave. Nobody’s left,” Robert taunted through the radio, probably taken off one of the fallen men.</p><p>“Not exactly,” he spat back as he stood up and surveyed his surroundings. “Remember what you taught me. Always have a contingency plan.” He was becoming restless from the cat and mouse game the other man was playing. Toying with him. As if Dave was nothing but a child.</p><p>“Come on, Mac. Show yourself,” he demanded. He crouched against the railing, using it to steady his weapon. He aimed at the car he had arrived in, and fired off a bullet, hitting the hood. “I don’t know who the kid is, or if he means anything to you. I took the chance that he matters.” He stared down the scope, keeping his one eye trained on the vehicle, the other keeping an eye out for Mac.</p><p>“I’ll make it simple. Step out, show yourself and I won’t kill the kid.” He squeezed the trigger, this time hitting the side of the car. He let out a sadistic laugh. “The wind makes it interesting!” <em>Now it’s my fucking turn to toy with you, Mac. My turn to take what matters to you.</em></p><p>“Side mirror,” he called out, as if it were a game, letting another bullet loose, the mirror shattering from the impact. “Two more. Third one goes to the middle of the trunk.” He paused as he picked his next target.</p><p>“Taillight,” he called. Another round fired, this one missing slightly. “I was a hair off on that one. I might have hit the kid.” He looked around the area, trying to spot Mac, but no luck. <em>Son of a bitch! Just show yourself, you asshole!</em></p><p>“All right! Time’s up, Mac!” He aimed at the trunk, but as he pulled the trigger, a gunshot sounded and the car sank, a tire popped, which made him miss, shattering the back window instead. <em>Fuck! </em>“Nice move, Mac. But it’s not gonna make any difference!” He got up and began to sweep the town, using his sight to find his intended target.</p><p>“Where are you, you son of a bitch?” Suddenly a strong gust of wind took him off his feet, flinging him back, losing the grip on his rifle, and the back of his head hit the railing. He fell and grabbed his head in pain. <em>Fuck!</em> He turned over and looked at the sea below him, waves slapping loudly against the rocks.</p><p>“Fuck you, Mac!” Fury coursed through Dave as he stood, picking up his rifle, looking through the lens, growing frantic with each passing second. “Fuck you! You couldn’t save your wife! You couldn’t save Susan! And you’re not gonna save this fucking kid!” He attempted to provoke Mac with his words, trying to get his elusive adversary to show himself. <em>I will fucking kill you, motherfucker! I will kill you!</em></p><p>“Is that in your playbook? Is that in your fucking playbook?!” he angrily shouted as he continued to sweep the area. “Show yourself!”</p><hr/><p>Out of nowhere, the barrel of his rifle was grabbed, and an elbow collided with his face, knocking him to the ground. <em>There he fucking is.</em> He tasted copper in his mouth, and spat the blood out, and grabbed the knife from his hip. He lunged at McCall, swiping at him, the man easily dodging his advances. He swung up at his former partner’s face and Mac ducked down, carefully avoiding the knife. Mac landed a punch to his face and knocked him off balance. Dave lunged again and the other man effortlessly caught his arm, using Dave’s weight against him, and skillfully flipped him onto his back. Dave landed with a thud but rapidly recovered, swiping at Mac’s leg with the blade, finally landing a solid strike. Blood flew out of McCall’s leg and Dave proceeded to punch him in the face. <em>That’s right motherfucker! Fuck you!</em></p><p>Dave went to jab Robert’s side, but this time the man caught his wrist, grabbing the knife out of his hand, using it to slash at his palm. He let out a scream of pain, as Mac discarded the knife, and Dave used that chance to grab the other man by the shoulders and kick his stomach. Mac retaliated by picking him up and throwing him, both men losing their balance and falling to the ground. Their training allowed them to swiftly regain their footing, and they resumed their attacks on one another. Dave was growing tired from the fight, breaths coming out labored, energy slowly dwindling, but his thirst for vengeance motivated him. As Mac kicked his knees and shins, pushing him up against the railing, Dave thought of what was waiting for him at home. <em>She is waiting for me to come back. Our baby is waiting for me. I have a promise to keep, goddammit! Fucking fight back!</em></p><p>With that thought, Dave managed to push himself away from the railing and grab Mac’s head, pushing the man down as he moved his foot upwards into his ribs. However, Robert caught him in a grapple and launched them both to the ground once more, but this time Dave was able to recover faster. He punched Mac in the kneecap and speedily moved to get behind him, pulling the man into a tight chokehold. He began to squeeze the other men’s throat, cutting off his air supply. Dave applied more and more pressure as he tightened his arms around Mac’s neck. <em>Just a little more! Just a little more! I have to beat him! I am going to beat him!</em></p><p>Dave felt Mac’s hand frantically reaching for his face and he moved as much as he could from his current position. The technique to immobilize his opponent was an effective one, but it also limited his ability to maneuver his head away from prying fingers. Without warning Mac dug his fingers into Dave’s left eye, pulling it out of the socket, effectively gouging him. Dave wailed in agony and released his hold. Mac slammed his elbow into Dave’s face and knocked him back, taking the opportunity to grab the discarded knife a few feet away. Dave was disoriented from Mac’s earlier attack but pressed on, despite his injury, fury fueling his wrath. <em>I will kill him! I will fucking kill him!</em></p><p>He tried to punch Robert, but his arm was caught, and he felt a slash across his chest. Mac continued his assault, slashing and hacking at Dave’s body, a slice here, a slice there until he fell to his knees in defeat. The man used that moment to drive the knife into Dave’s torso, penetrating his chest cavity with little to no difficulty. Dave looked up at his opponent in surprise. <em>No. I can’t lose. Not like this. Fuck, not like this.</em></p><p>Mac stared down triumphantly at his former comrade, completely emotionless, before sinking the blade into the back of the beaten man’s neck and moved it to the side. Blood spattered out, painting the ground around them, and he hunched forward, struggling to breathe, unable to move. <em>I. Have. To. Fucking. Get. Up! </em>He thought as he wheezed and felt Mac’s foot on his shoulder. His body fell from the tower, landing on the rocks with a hard thud. His leg was contorted into an unnatural position, the bone protruding from the side. Whatever breath he had lingering in his lungs escaped him, and his head throbbed, his ears ringing from the hard impact. Suddenly he found himself floating, peering down at his torn and mangled body, that laid bloodied and broken.</p><p>He looked up at the dimly lit sky, feeling the cold waves crash over him, numbing the pain that ebbed out from the numerous wounds littered across his damaged figure. As his ragged and battered form was drawn out to sea, he saw your smiling face, and his heart completely shattered.</p><h3>
  <b> <em>I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.</em></b>
</h3><h3>
  <b> <em>I'm not going to make it home and I won't be able to keep my promise.</em> </b>
</h3><h3>
  <b> <em>Please forgive me, sweetheart.</em> </b>
</h3><h3>
<b><em>I love you. I love you both so so much...</em></b><b></b>
</h3><p>Those were Dave's final thoughts as the light gave way to darkness, and the image of you faded away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reader deals with Dave’s disappearance.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: ANGST, sadness, some thoughts of suicide, descriptions of gross stuff, language</p>
<p>A/N: When you thought it couldn’t get any worse…..</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dave never called. He never texted. He never returned. He was just….. Gone… The promise was now broken. Just like your heart.</p>
<p>You clung to the hope that he would come back. <em>He promised. He promised he would come back. No matter what. </em>You hung on for days. Days slowly turned into weeks. Weeks into months. <em>He isn’t coming back…He isn’t coming back…. </em>you began to think to yourself, rocking back and forth on the floor of the bedroom.</p>
<p>Your heart ached. Your soul was broken, you had nothing left of Dave save for your unborn child, his daughters, and the ring that rested on your finger. The ring that once made your heart soar now felt like the weight of the world, and you could hardly look at it without breaking down. You spent nights alone crying, wrapped around his pillow, even wearing one of his shirts, but his scent had begun to fade. You tried to spray the cologne he often used on the pillowcase, but even that was not enough. You longed for his arms to be around you at night. You yearned for the warmth of his body. The sound of his voice as he lulled you to sleep, whispering sweet words in your ear.</p>
<p>You could not close your eyes without picturing him there beside you. It tore you apart day in and day out. When you were not crying in bed, you would be curled up in the shower, sobbing while the water rained down around you, muffling your cries of agony. When you weren’t in the shower, you would be sitting at the foot of the bed staring down at the ultrasound photo, and of a photo of you and Dave. A rare picture that he had let you take one day while you lounged around in bed. He had his head nestled above yours, a soft smile on his face. Your head was buried in his neck, a blissful twinkle in your eye. Tears would cascade down your cheeks, as you gazed at the photographs, the salty water splashing onto them. You were emotionless, functioning only on muscle memory to get by. You felt dead inside, the only thing keeping you going at this point was your unborn baby and the girls. You needed to stay strong for them. For the baby.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b> <em>-One Week After Dave’s Disappearance-</em> </b>
</p>
<p><b><em>13 Weeks/~3 Months Pregnant</em></b> </p>
<p>It had been two days since he left to kill McCall, and you had heard nothing from him. He still wasn’t home, and you began to grow worried. That evening you and the girls were eating dinner when Alice broke the silence.</p>
<p>“Mama, where is daddy?” Alice asked.</p>
<p>“He is on a work trip right now, babies,” you replied, sucking in a breath.</p>
<p>“Oh, okay,” she said, a sad look on her face. “I miss him.”</p>
<p>“I miss him too, sweetie,” you stated, hoping that the excuse would work to deter their curiosity. “Don’t worry. He will be home soon.” Alice nodded and went back to her dinner. You looked through the agenda for the next day, leaning over the kitchen island when you heard the scrapping of a chair against the linoleum, and then Molly’s head popped up beside you.</p>
<p>“Will daddy be back in time for my recital?” you kept your composure and made a fake thinking face.</p>
<p>“Hm, I’m not sure,” you began, not wanting to get her hopes up. “He might be busy with work, sweetie.” She hung her head with sadness.</p>
<p>“Okay,” came her dejected reply, but then her head snapped up. “Can we call him?!” <em>Fuck.</em></p>
<p>“Yeah, we can do that. Give me a second, okay?” she shot up so fast that you were sure her head was going to fly off and ran to the kitchen table, grabbing her sister’s hand and dragging her over to you. You picked up your phone and dialed Dave’s number and then heard his voice.</p>
<p>“This is Dave York. Leave a message.”</p>
<p>“Try again,” Alice said, and you looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Please, can we try again?” Once again you dialed, once again straight to voicemail.</p>
<p>“Maybe his phone is off or he’s somewhere he can’t get calls,” you reasoned. The girls nodded and slowly walked back to the table, returning to their meal. You turned away, hiding your watery eyes, not wanting them to see the sadness in them. For the time being, they had accepted that he was on a work trip, but if he was not home soon, you knew you would have to come up with a better story. The excuse would only hold them off for so long before they would ask more questions, and you were not ready for that conversation, no parent ever was.</p>
<p>That night, after the girls went to bed, you paced around the kitchen, phone held up, trying to call Dave, even though you knew it would go straight to voicemail. <em>Did he lose? Was he dead? What happened? Why is he not back yet? Why isn’t he picking up? </em>You went to sleep worried sick, and you had thrown up several times due to the stress. Mel had told you that it was not good for the baby, often making soup and giving you supplements to keep you healthy. You were grateful to have a great friend like her, but all you wanted was Dave.</p>
<p>Several more days passed, and he had now been missing for a week. Your distress was starting to overwhelm you, and you had barely slept. Every night you tried to call him, however, each call still went straight to voicemail. You wanted to file a police report and try to get the authorities to look for him, but you weren’t sure that it was the best idea since he did leave to kill someone. <em>Yeah, probably not the best thing to tell them. </em>That afternoon you finally gave in and filed a missing person report with the authorities. You were hoping that they would find something, anything, but knew the chances were slim to none. If he had disappeared and did not want to be found, then it would be impossible for them to track him. <em>Where is he?</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>One Month After Dave’s Disappearance-</em></b></p>
<p><b><em>16 Weeks /4 Months Pregnant</em></b> </p>
<p>Four weeks. Four weeks he had not come home and you were more concerned now. It was not like him to go radio silent like this for even a day, always checking in with you, but four weeks? Something had definitely happened, and the troublesome thoughts would not cease. That afternoon, while the girls were at school, you sat at the kitchen table staring off into space when the doorbell rang. You jumped. <em>Dave!?</em> You rushed to the front door and flung it open. The sight of two police officers made your heart sink. <em>Oh no.</em></p>
<p>“Good afternoon, ma’am,” one of them greeted. “Mind if we come in?” You nodded and let the men enter. They took a seat on the couch in the living room, and you took a seat across from them.</p>
<p>“What’s going on officers?” you asked, stomach swirling with anxiety.</p>
<p>“Ma’am, I’m Officer Smith and he’s Jones,” the second officer stated. “We are here about Dave York and the missing persons report you filed.” You were going to be sick. The bile in your stomach began to rise, fear coursing through you.</p>
<p>“What about it? Do you have any news?” you asked with hope but suspected you would get a different answer.</p>
<p>“We were able to track two vehicles on the edge of a town off the coast and we have some unfortunate news,” Officer Jones replied. Your heartbeat halting. <em>No. Please no.</em></p>
<p>“We found the bodies of three heavily armed men. No identification was found on them, but we were able to pull dental records and fingerprints. Steven Kovac, David Resnik, and Ari Mikael. From what we gathered, they worked for a government agency, which has made it difficult to get any more information, so that is all we have,” Officer Smith responded, a grim look on his face. “As for Dave York – um – we were unable to locate his body.” Your breathing became heavy, your stomach twisted into knots.</p>
<p>“You weren’t able to locate his body? What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“We were unable to find evidence that he was in the area or fled on his own accord. However, there were small marks of blood on a tower rooftop,” Officer Jones provided. “Signs indicate that he may have been attacked and fallen from the tower, but the hurricane that passed through recently washed away any other signs.”</p>
<p>“We are terribly sorry for your loss.” The words rang in your ears. They sounded foreign to you, not comprehending them. <em>No body. They could not find a body. There is still a chance!</em></p>
<p>“You said that you weren’t able to find a body, so there’s still a chance he might be alive, right?”</p>
<p>“Um – there is a very small chance, yes,” Smith answered. “However, those chances are very slim if our suspicions are correct.” You fought back tears that threatened to spill. You watched as Officer Jones pulled out an evidence bag and held it out to you. You hadn’t even noticed that he had it with him, too preoccupied with their presence and the news they had just given you.</p>
<p>“This isn’t typically standard procedure but we felt that you should have this,” he said, as you hesitantly took the bag from him. “It washed up onshore and this is the only thing we could find.”</p>
<p>“There’s something in the pocket that we think you should see,” Officer Smith stated. “We’re extremely sorry for your loss, ma’am. We wish we had better news for you.” You shook your head as your hands trembled.</p>
<p>You choked back a sob as they let themselves out and you sat there in silence, staring at the bag clutched in your palms. Inside was his jacket. You gingerly took it out and sucked in a breath. It was torn all over, rips covering the front as if someone had taken a knife repeatedly to it. You carefully opened the frayed and unkempt piece of clothing, pulling out something from the inner pocket. The same pocket you had tucked the ultrasound photo into. Your hands quivered as you slid the waterlogged paper out, and felt a second one stuck to the back. You pulled the two pieces apart and the tears began to flow. He had tucked a photo of you into the same pocket as the ultrasound. A photo of happier times.</p>
<p>You felt like you couldn’t breathe, your throat felt tight, and your heart loudly pounded in your chest. You felt the bile once again rise from your stomach and let out a sob. You stared at both photos, tears falling on them. The photos were supposed to be a reminder. A reminder of his promise to you. The promise that was now in pieces. You sat and stared at the wall, completely numb, mind unable to comprehend the truth, the photographs clutched tightly against your chest, over your heart. Your broken, beaten, shattered heart. You felt nothing. You were empty. Alone. The only man who you had sincerely loved, who loved you just as strongly, and the one who promised you forever, was truly gone.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After the police had delivered the grave news, you knew you had to tell the girls. That was a conversation that you were dreading. That evening, Molly and Alice sat at the kitchen table, diligently eating their dinner, the only sounds were the crunches from their chewing and the quiet rumble from the television in the corner.</p>
<p>“Mommy?” Molly spoke, as you began to wash some dishes in the sink.</p>
<p>“Yes, sweetie?” you replied, plastering a half-smile on your face as you turned to her.</p>
<p>“Where is daddy?” Your heart plummeted, unsure of how to broach the topic that their father was gone. “When is he coming home from his trip?”</p>
<p>“Um – well – uh – I have to tell you both something,” you answered, attempting to keep your voice steady, lips beginning to quiver. You choked back a sob as you mentally prepared yourself. “Daddy is not coming home.” They looked at you in confusion, not understanding what you were trying to say.</p>
<p>“Why is he not coming home?” Alice questioned. You walked over and sat with them at the table, taking each of their hands into your own.</p>
<p>“Girls, I don’t know how to say this,” you began, voice cracking, “but he’s gone. He’s gone.” Tears prickled the corner of your eyes, realization dawning across their faces. They were both bright girls, understanding the concept of life and death, so it took them no time to recognize what you were telling them. Tears sprang in their eyes as you moved to crouch beside them, pulling them both into a hug. They released wails of sadness and you felt helpless. How were the three of you going to move on from this?</p>
<p>“It’s going to be okay,” you whispered, stroking their hair, attempting to calm and comfort them. “We’re going to be okay.”</p>
<p>Their sobs grew louder and you picked both of them up, carrying them up the stairs to their room. You held them until their weeping grew quiet and they drifted off to sleep. You tucked each of them into bed, placing a kiss on their foreheads.</p>
<p>“We will be okay,” you murmured, struggling to convince not only them but also yourself. “Everything will be okay.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>One Month After Police Visit-</em></b></p>
<p><b><em>20 Weeks /5 Months Pregnant</em></b> </p>
<p>It had been a month since you had gotten the news about Dave’s death. You still held on to the hope that he was still alive, but with each passing day, your hope slowly dwindled. You were now about twenty weeks along, and at Mel’s behest, you had been taking supplements and prenatal vitamins every day. You kept yourself busy taking care of the girls, fully taking on the mantle as their mother. You made sure they did not feel neglected, now that both of their biological parents were not there.</p>
<p>It broke your heart every day, but you always put on a strong façade when they were around. Your little family had fallen into a routine during the last month, and it had helped the three of you somewhat begin to heal after Dave’s passing. The girls missed their father immensely, and would often crawl into the bed with you in the middle of the night. They would cuddle up against your side and cling to you in their sleep, sometimes letting out small sniffles before falling into slumber. You knew the baby was getting too big to hide, and with the girls sleeping next to you most nights, they were bound to notice.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Girls, I have a question,” you stated one morning, packing their lunches while they ate breakfast at the kitchen island. Molly paused her chewing to look up at you, and Alice stopped shoveling cereal into her mouth, spoon halfway there. The sight was a sweet one, and you chuckled in amusement.</p>
<p>“A question?” came Alice’s slightly muffled voice, finishing her bite of cereal, setting the spoon down in the bowl. You nodded with a small smile.</p>
<p>“How would you two feel about having a sibling?” you slowly asked, holding your breath, waiting for their response. They stared at you, slowly absorbing the words.</p>
<p>“Like a baby brother or sister?” Molly finally spoke. You nodded your head and placed your hand on your little bump. Their eyes followed the movement and gasped, hopping up from their seats to run around the island and hug you.</p>
<p>“Can we have a baby brother?!” Alice shouted in excitement. You let out a laugh as Molly vigorously nodded her head, agreeing with her sister.</p>
<p>“You’ll have to wait and see,” you replied, overjoyed that they accepted the pregnancy so well. “I’ll find out in a few days, and when I do, we will celebrate. How about that?” The two of them jumped up and down, cheering with happiness.</p>
<p>“Mommy, can you make sure to order a boy?” Molly asked, eyes pleading, and her sister followed suit. You rolled your eyes at their antics.</p>
<p>“That’s not how it works, sweetheart, but I will ask the doctor. Okay?” She grinned and hugged you tight, nuzzling her face against your stomach, Alice mimicking her actions.</p>
<p>“We can’t wait to meet you, baby brother,” Molly whispered at your belly.</p>
<p>You struggled to not cry at her words. <em>I wish you were here. I wish you could see how happy the girls are about our baby.</em> <em>I miss you. We all do.</em> That night you cried in the shower, choking out sobs as you leaned against the wall, the hot spray scorching your back. You were happy that the girls were so thrilled about the baby, but your heartache reminded you that there was still a hole in your family. A piece was missing, and you were never getting it back.</p>
<p>You wept until your tears ran dry, the water turning cold. Stepping out of the shower, you glanced at the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman who stared back at you. You had that pregnancy glow, yes, but an ever-present dark cloud always loomed over. Heart weighing heavily in your chest, you wished things were different, better, but this was your life now, and you had to try and move on. Eventually, you would have to let go of the pain, you just weren’t sure how.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The appointment was scheduled to take place three days after you told the girls, and you were anxious. Once the day finally arrived, you carefully drove to the hospital and entered, checking in with the receptionist. You bounced your knee from the anxiety, wishing Dave was there to calm you, holding your hand and reassuring you that everything was going to be fine. His absence from these important moments only caused you more heartache, and you took a deep breath to calm yourself. <em>He’s gone,</em> you reminded yourself, gazing down at your hands where the ring still sat, the metal hurting your finger due to the swelling. <em>I can’t keep wearing this. But I don’t want to take it off.</em></p>
<p>You were pulled from your thoughts when you heard your name and stood, following the medical assistant to the exam room. They did the usual checking of the vital signs and urine sample and then escorted you to the ultrasound room, having you change into a gown before you took a seat in the chair. You waited patiently for the doctor and fidgeted with your fingers, trying not to think about Dave’s absence. You heard a knock at the door before the doctor opened it, glancing at you with a smile.</p>
<p>“Welcome back,” she greeted, walking over to the computer, pulling out the probe.</p>
<p>“Thanks,” you replied, lifting the gown so she could lather your belly with the gel. You had grown used to the cold sensation at this point and patiently waited as she moved the probe over your swollen stomach. After a moment you heard the fast pounding of your baby’s heartbeat echo through the speaker, and your heart filled with joy.</p>
<p>“The baby has a strong heartbeat, that’s good,” the doctor stated as she took some photos and measured its size. “Looks like the little one is at the perfect angle for us to see its sex, would you like to find out?” You hesitated, before finally nodding. She smiled at you, moving the probe and took a picture, and then circled part of the screen. You looked at it in confusion.</p>
<p>“Congratulations,” she said, “you’re having a baby boy.” You swelled with happiness, and you felt tears run down your face. The doctor handed you some tissues as she took some more photos of the baby. “How many copies of the ultrasound would you like?”</p>
<p>“Um – just the one copy, please,” you awkwardly said, as she nodded, not wanting to pry. She printed the pictures out and placed them into an envelope for you.</p>
<p>“Everything is looking good, so I’ll let you get dressed and just go to the front desk and make an appointment for next month.</p>
<p>You nodded at her instructions and waited for her to exit the room before you got up. You slowly got dressed and made your way to the receptionist, scheduling an appointment for next month, just like the doctor said. The girl at the front desk smiled at you as she keyed you into the system.</p>
<p>“Congratulations,” she said as you walked away.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” you halfheartedly replied, the smile fading on your face.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Once you arrived home from your appointment, you went and sat on the bed, staring down blankly at the envelope in your hands. You seemed to be doing that a lot lately. The engagement ring caught your gaze and you examined the sparkling diamond seated in the platinum. You had developed a nervous habit of spinning the ring on your finger over the last few weeks, a habit that was now difficult to do. The ring now sat tightly against the skin, having noticed it while at the doctor’s office. You began to tug at it, trying to get the confining jewelry off, the memories it brought forth in your mind too painful to bear. After fighting with it, you managed to yank it off, and held it up to the light.</p>
<p>Your eyes welled up, vision beginning to blur, as you took in the beautifully crafted band between your fingers. You wanted to hurl it across the room, bury it, lock it away in a vault, anything to get rid of the constant reminder of what would never be. But you could not bring yourself to do that. Instead, you rummaged through your jewelry box, retrieving a chain, and slipped the ring onto it. You clasped the necklace around your collar, feeling the cool steel rest against your chest. The weight of it, and what it had once represented, caused a droplet to slip from your eye and glide down your cheek.</p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>Two Months After Police Visit-</em></b></p>
<p>
  <b> <em>24 Weeks /6 Months Pregnant</em> </b>
</p>
<p>Two months had passed since the police had stopped by, and one month after you had found out you were having a boy. You had held off on telling the girls for the last month, telling them they had to be patient and that they would find out when they least suspected it. You wanted it to be a surprise for them, give them some happy news for once. One morning you had woken up, feeling discomfort by your side, originating from your abdomen.</p>
<p>You sat up, placing a hand on your belly, and waited. You felt it again. A kick. <em>The baby kicked!</em> You had been waiting for the baby to kick for weeks, and now finally he had. Tears of joy threatened to spill, and you let out a small sniffle. Remembering the girls were still asleep next to you, you covered your mouth, trying not to wake them, but it was too late. You looked down, watching two sets of eyes slowly open and stare at you. At the sight of your glassy orbs, Molly sat up in a panic, Alice following her sister’s actions. They hugged you and you pulled them close.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, mommy?” Molly asked with a yawn.</p>
<p>“Nothing baby, good morning,” you greeted with a smile. Molly suddenly broke away, eyes wide.</p>
<p>“Mommy, something moved in your tummy!” she exclaimed. You let out a chuckle at her confusion. Taking her hand you placed it on your stomach again. You felt the kick, and Molly let out a squeak at the movement.</p>
<p>“That’s your baby brother saying hi,” you explained. The girls quickly snapped their heads up.</p>
<p>“A baby brother?!” Alice spoke with excitement. You nodded your head as you placed her hand next to her sister’s. Your son landed a well-placed kick, causing the girls to squeal at the sensation. Molly pressed her ear to your skin, Alice following suit, and began to speak.</p>
<p>“Hi, baby brother. I can’t wait to meet you.”</p>
<p>“Me too. Me too,” Alice added. You felt another kick, wincing at how hard that one was.</p>
<p>“I think he likes when you both talk,” you spoke. They grinned and began cooing at your belly, and you let out a laugh at their antics. A few minutes passed of the girls whispering, your son responding with strong kicks before he landed one right on your bladder and you felt a little liquid leak out.</p>
<p>“Oof,” you said, moving to stand. “Looks like baby brother wants to go to the bathroom.” You got up and strode to the bathroom, seeing your disheveled, but smiling face. This was the first time you had felt happy in a long time. The first time you had a genuine smile.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Most days were hard for you. You did not have the best support system, aside from Mel. Your family all lived out of state, and they were too busy with their lives to bother with yours. You had a handful of friends scattered here and there, but you were not particularly close with any of them. They had happy, normal, lives with their families. They did not understand that you struggled to get out to bed every morning; that you plastered a fake smile on your face for the girls. They did not understand that every time you opened your eyes and looked around the room, your heart tore into pieces.</p>
<p>You were completely alone and had no one there to support you. The pain you were going through was beyond anything you had ever experienced. This was worse than when you were with Tom, when he kidnapped you, and when you miscarried twice because of him. No, this was considerably worse than any of those past traumas. Your depression was immeasurable and was swallowing you whole.</p>
<p>You had sought out professional help, but even that was a dead end. You kept getting the runaround, and each doctor you spoke to was either not taking any new patients, or they did not deem things urgent enough to take you on. They had stated that since you were not a threat to yourself or others, they could not prioritize you. You felt like that was a crock of bullshit and felt tossed aside. <em>What’s one more person to the endless list of people that can’t help me?</em> Some days, while the girls were at school, you would lay in bed and think about how you wish you had the courage to make the pain disappear forever. You no longer craved the freedom that life once had to offer. Instead, you would rather vanish into the darkness, into the other side. <em>I just want it all to go away. I don’t want to keep going on without him. Who would even miss me?</em></p>
<p>Your son’s kick would pull you back to reality and you would break down into tears. The girls. Your son. You could not let your selfish thoughts take hold and abandon them. No, you had to fight, you had to get better. <em>If not for me, then for them. For my family.</em> You refused to put the girls through the same heartbreak that you were currently going through. You would not take the life away from your son before he took his first breath. Every day, you would have that internal struggle, and every day the thoughts of your children would push you through. Thoughts of them would give you the strength to endure the hardship, and you would do everything to make sure they would live happy lives, even if you could not have that yourself.</p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>Three Months After Police Visit-</em></b></p>
<p>
  <b> <em>28 Weeks /7 Months Pregnant</em> </b>
</p>
<p>You woke with a start, awkwardly sitting up, as you felt a kick from your son. At seven months pregnant, your belly was making it difficult to move around. Molly and Alice had taken up permanent residence in the bedroom with you, and you hoped that your sudden movement did not wake them. Glancing down, you were relieved at the sight of the two girls still sound asleep. You attempted to stealthily get out of bed, which was quite a task, padding over to the bathroom when you had successfully untangled yourself from the girls.</p>
<p>You shut the door and flicked on the light, your eyes meeting the mirror. Your hair was tousled and all over the place, and you had some dark circles under your eyes. You heaved out a breath, your lack of sleep making it difficult to even stand up. You crept out of the bathroom then the bedroom, tip-toeing down the hall of Dave’s office. You looked around, imagining that he was at his desk, sipping a glass of whiskey as he wrote up a report. You moved to sit on the couch in the corner, holding a pillow to you, the faint smell of him that still lingered there filling your nose. You inhaled his scent and closed your eyes, drifting off.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b> <em>-The Dream-</em> </b>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>You were sitting in the living room, curtains open, as the sunlight peeked in, filling the space with the summer warmth. You had your feet propped up on the coffee table, a book resting on your stomach, as your eyes followed the words on the page. On occasion, you would look up from the novel, catching the way the breeze gracefully swept through the trees. It was nearing the end of summer, going into fall, your favorite time of the year. The sight of the leaves turning from green to orange or yellow would paint a beautiful picture in your mind, and you wished to capture it forever. You set your book down and walked to the backdoor, silently sliding the glass open, and you stepped out into the yard.</p>
<p>The grass tickled your feet, as you sauntered over to the hammock nestled between two tall trees. After maneuvering into it, you felt the cloth sides embrace you, offering comfort from the whisps of air. You turned your gaze upward, staring up at the blue sky, mesmerized by the clouds that floated by. You closed your eyes and focused on the world around you, silencing your thoughts. Birds chirping to an imaginary song, tree branches loudly knocking against one another, wind swirling through the crisp air. A gust would stroke the greenery loosely hanging on the wood, making them break away and fall to the ground. The rustling of the foliage, and the swinging of the hammock, made your eyes heavy, and you drifted off to sleep.</p>
<p>You were roused from your slumber by the feeling of someone’s hand on your feet, lovingly massaging the aching soles. Your eyes flew open in panic, the sudden burst of brightness blinding you. It took you a moment to adjust and focus, and your heart pounded as you looked at the culprit cradling your feet. <em>Dave. </em>You blinked once. Twice. Three times. There he still stood. You shook your head, unsure if you were dreaming, but when you looked up he was still there, smiling at you as he continued to knead your feet. You attempted to sit up, but the depths of the hammock pulled you back in, restricting your movement. Your mind was hazy as you watched Dave release your feet and move to stand beside you, offering his hand. You nervously took it, feeling your weight shift as he tugged your body out, catching you before you fell. Astonished, you awkwardly stood there, struggling for air. <em>He’s here. Is he real?</em></p>
<p>“Hi, sweetheart,” he spoke, in his gruff yet soft tone that you deeply missed. You had almost forgotten what it sounded like, and you choked back a sob. You threw yourself at him, pushing him back, and he let out a laugh as he steadied your bodies.</p>
<p>“Please tell me you’re really here,” you begged, as you cried into his chest, hands clinging tightly to his shirt. “Please tell me you’re real.”</p>
<p>He stroked your hair as he kissed the crown of your head, tilting your face up to meet his eyes. His brown eyes met your shocked stare, and he leaned down, capturing your lips with a searing kiss. Your breath caught in your lungs, your knees grew weak, your head spinning. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against yours and smiled.</p>
<p>“I’m really here, baby,” he whispered, his own tears escaping, further wetting your cheeks. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” You wept with joy, turning around as his arms circled your frame, pulling your body against his. Laying his chin on your shoulder, hands placed on the bottom of your belly, he tenderly caressed the exposed patch of skin.</p>
<p>“How are my babies doing?” he softly spoke into your ear, sending a shiver down your back.</p>
<p>“Better now that you’re here,” you answered with a sniffle.</p>
<p>“I’m glad,” he said, tightening his arms around you. “I’ve missed you so much, baby. You and the girls.” You leaned your head against him and he began to rock the two of you back and forth.</p>
<p>“We’ve missed you too. So much.”</p>
<p>“I know, and I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I know I’ve been gone a long time, but I’m here now.”</p>
<p>“Good. I don’t know what I would do if you left again.” He continued to rock the two of you, moving his hands to cup the sides of your swollen bump. Your son kicked against his hand, and you felt a smile spread across his face.</p>
<p>“Did you find out if we’re having a girl or boy?”</p>
<p>“We’re having a baby boy,” you replied. “And the girls are so excited to have a brother.” He turned you around and looked into your eyes.</p>
<p>“We’re having a boy?” he asked, a large grin on his face. You nodded, watching him kneel, cupping the side of your stomach, and kissed it.</p>
<p>“Hey little guy, I’m your daddy,” he softly spoke, earning him another kick. Letting out a laugh, Dave stood back up and resumed his position behind you. Cradling you in his arms, he kissed your neck, and whispered, “I love you.”</p>
<p>All of a sudden, the air shifted, growing bitter and frigid, and you shivered at its bite. The sky grew dark, clouds above you twirling menacingly, wind harshly whipping against your skin. The arms around you turned frosty, as cold as nice, the warmth having suddenly disappeared. You tensed, unsure of what was happening.</p>
<p>“Dave?” you spoke, as the world around you went silent, the only sound that could be heard was your labored breathing. “Dave?” You got no response. You slowly twisted around, fear gripping you, and you released a blood-curdling scream. Where Dave once was, now stood a rotted and decaying corpse, eyes missing, skin melted away. Its limbs were shredded, skin holding onto the muscles by a thread, chunks missing in some parts. Its legs were at awkward angles and the skin color was a dark shadow of blue and purple. It was like a scene from a horror movie. You took a step back from the decomposing body, a shriek escaping as it held its arm up, going to grab you, fingers curling around nothing.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong baby?” it spoke in Dave’s voice, but it was not him. “It’s me.” But it was not him. It was an empty shell, and you felt sick. You took another step back, then another, straining to stay out of its reach, you tripped on your town feet and fell to the ground with a thud. The horrifying carcass approached you and you let out a cry, holding your hands up, trying to shield yourself from it.</p>
<p>“Go away!” you shouted, shutting your eyes, attempting to will away the ghastly vision. You could hear its footsteps stomping toward you and you recoiled, crawling backward, struggling to escape. You felt a prick on your hand, accompanied by a string of searing pain. Lifting it to your face, you saw blood dripping down the middle, a large cut across your palm. The terrifying figure continued toward you and you scambled back, ignoring the discomfort coming from your hand. You felt your back press up against the fence, and you stilled, rooted to the spot in terror.</p>
<p>Without warning, you felt a sharp twinge, emanating from your lower back. Another pang, and you yelped, clutching your midsection. <em>No no no. Not now. Oh god, not now.</em> A strong pressure pushed against your pelvis, your back seizing up, a rush of liquid running down, soaking your pants. Your insides felt like they were twisting, pulled in every which way, being squeezed by an unknown force. You felt trapped, as if you were caught in the undertow of a wave, being dragged under, drowning you. You looked down and saw red seeping through your clothing, painting your limbs with a dark shade. <em>Oh my god. Please no.</em> Another bout of pain coursed through you, and you gripped the sides of your belly, howling in agony. You could see something push against the skin of your stomach, trying to break through the barrier, and you threw your head back from how badly it hurt.</p>
<p>You spied the form of your dead fiancé advancing, before it finally stood above you, grabbing your arm. The sound that ripped out of your throat was piercing, almost inhuman, as the membrane that kept your child inside tore, and a hand reached out. Eye wide with fear, mouth hanging open in a silent scream, all you could do was watch as your son reached out, with his blood coated fingers, to wrap around the finger of his deceased father. Then you saw black.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b> <em>-End Dream-</em> </b>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>You gasped for breath, opening your eyes in panic. It took you a moment to remember where you were. <em>I’m in Dave’s office. It was just a dream.</em> You held the pillow to you and began to cry. <em>The dream felt so real. As if it was happening.</em> Letting out a whimper, you tried to wrestle back the scenes from your nightmare. No matter how hard you tried, the appearance of Dave’s mangled body, and the visual of your son’s bloody hand, stayed in your head. You tried everything to erase the images but nothing worked. You were terrified to go to sleep. Every time you shut your eyes, the horrid visions would reappear, and you would jolt awake. <em>Will this pain ever stop?</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>Four Months After Police Visit-</em></b></p>
<p>
  <b> <em>32 Weeks /8 Months Pregnant</em> </b>
</p>
<p>It was now four months since Dave died. You had finally started to heal with each passing day, and as you drew closer to your due date, you felt more joy than sadness. Something that you never thought you would have again. The nightmare you had been plagued with had now ceased, and you were finally able to get some rest. Today you were sitting in bed, your laptop in front of you, as you scrolled through social media. Browsing through Pinterest, you began to get ideas for the nursery.</p>
<p>You only had a short while before the baby came, and you wanted to get things prepared sooner rather than later. You pinned some of the things you saw, saving them to browse through later. You were planning on getting the room painted this afternoon, and had enlisted Mel’s help, entrusting her with the responsibility of painting the designs on the walls, due to her talent. Yesterday, you had ordered a crib and rocking chair, as well as a changing table. The furniture was scheduled to be delivered this weekend, and you were anxious to get things set up.</p>
<p>Several hours passed, and you heard a knock on the door. You waddled down the stairs and greeted Mel and the girls. She had been nice enough to pick them up from school since you were too exhausted from chasing around the girls last night. The three of them walked in, carrying buckets of paint and supplies. The girls were bouncing with excitement, as they scrambled up the stairs to unload everything in the soon-to-be nursery.</p>
<p>What had once been the guest room, turned into your room, before you had moved into the master, was now where the nursery was going to be. The trio began to set things up, and you stood there as moral support, unable to do much heavy lifting in your current state. They began to hustle and bustle around the room, putting down plastic sheets, taping over outlets, and setting up fans before they set about painting. Once preparations were complete, Mel popped open a bucket, and you were greeted by a calming shade of yellow. Another container was opened, this one with a deep rich shade of purple.</p>
<p>“We picked out the colors, mom!” Molly shouted, picking up a paintbrush and dipped it into the yellow. You shook your head and chuckled, knowing things were about to get messy, but the sight of your daughters painting their brother’s room warmed your heart.</p>
<p>“They’re very pretty colors,” you replied, taking a seat by the doorway to avoid the fumes. Mel dipped a roller into the yellow, rolling the liquid on the top parts of the walls, as Molly and Alice got to work on the lower parts. Once all surfaces, including Molly and Alice, were covered in yellow, you deemed it break time so the paint could dry, and you could all eat. While they were hard at work, you had ordered pizza, and the girls consumed it in a frenzy. Making your way back to the nursery, it had been enough time for the first coat to dry, so they applied another coat while you read a book in the doorway. While waiting for the second layer to dry, the girls decided they wanted to watch Moana. You and Mel got them situated in the den, while the two of you sat in the kitchen, you crunching on goldfish, Mel on some jalapeño chips.</p>
<p>“Sooooooooo how’s it going?” she asked, in between chips. You shrugged, stuffing your face full of goldfish.</p>
<p>“I’m doing fine, I guess,” you answered. “Can’t wait ‘till this baby is out though.” Mel laughed at your words.</p>
<p>“The little demon having too much fun playing soccer with your bladder?”</p>
<p>“A little too much fun,” you said, as you felt a strong kick right at that moment. “He knows that we’re talking about him.”</p>
<p>“What a little creep,” Mel joked. “Have you picked out a name yet?”</p>
<p>“Not yet,” you replied, shaking your head. “I can’t seem to settle on one I like.”</p>
<p>“What names do you have in mind?” You pulled out your phone and opened the note containing the list of names.</p>
<p>“I’m torn between Marcus, Timothy, Benjamin, Joseph, Liam,” you listed off, “Jack, Peter, and Francisco, after my grandfather.”</p>
<p>“I like Marcus,” Mel suggested, “and you should definitely name him after your grandpa.”</p>
<p>“Marcus Francisco?” you clarified and she nodded.</p>
<p>“Yeah, though what about last names? Are you going to give him yours or Dave’s?”</p>
<p>“I – I –,” you stammered out, the thought hadn’t even crossed your mind. “I’m honestly not sure.”</p>
<p>“I mean, it’s up to you,” she said. “Though, in a way, if you gave him Dave’s last name, you’d have a part of him with you, more than just the girls and your son.”</p>
<p>“That’s true,” you agreed, “especially since we were going to get married, and I would have taken his last name anyways.”</p>
<p>“See,” Mel replied, “it just makes sense to give him Dave’s last name.”</p>
<p>“So Marcus Francisco York then?” you asked, the name already growing on you.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I like that,” Mel stated, nodding her head at your decision.</p>
<p>“Marcus Francisco York, it is,” you said with a smile, rubbing your round belly. “I can’t wait to meet you, Little Frankie.” You felt a kick against your hand and grinned.</p>
<p>“I think he’s going to be a soccer player or even a cross country runner,” Mel joked. You guffawed at the jest.</p>
<p>“I mean, if he ends up being a track star, then he would have gotten that from me,” you threw in. “You never saw Dave run, but his form was absolutely horrendous.” The two of you began to cackle at the thought, and for the first time, in a long while, you could think about Dave without your chest tightening from grief. Maybe you were really starting to heal.</p>
<hr/>
<p>-<b><em>Four and a Half Months After Police Visit-</em></b></p>
<p>
  <b> <em>34 Weeks /8 ½ Months Pregnant</em> </b>
</p>
<p>You were in a nesting phase now. All you could do was clean the house, as best as you could at eight and a half months, and get things ready for when the baby would come. That morning, after dropping the girls off at school, you found yourself surrounded by a pile of baby clothes, many of which were purchased by you, or from acquaintances. Mel was also responsible for a good chunk of them, having splurged on clothes for her ‘nephew’. It had taken you about three loads of laundry to get all of those clothes cleaned, and you were glad to finally start putting them away. Halfway through your task, you decided you wanted some company and gave Mel a call.</p>
<p>“Hey, girly, what’s up?” she answered.</p>
<p>“Are you doing anything right now?” you asked, not wanting to inconvenience her in case she was busy.</p>
<p>“Not right now, I just got done taking a shower.”</p>
<p>“Do you want to come over and help me put stuff away around the house?”</p>
<p>“No, not really, but I guess I can do that,” she replied sarcastically. You rolled your eyes at her and chuckled.</p>
<p>“Thank you, I’m just really bored right now, and would like some company.”</p>
<p>“No worries. I’ll be there shortly,” she stated.</p>
<p>“Oh, could you stop and get me a smoothie on your way over?” you added. “Your nephew is craving a fruit smoothie right now.” You heard Mel let out a sigh and mutter under her breath.</p>
<p>“You really had to pull the nephew card, didn’t you, bitch?” You laughed at her fake grumpiness, picturing her sitting in her room, doing nothing but stare at the ceiling.</p>
<p>“I mean, since you’re already going to be out, might as well make yourself useful,” you quipped back. “Besides, I’m pregnant. What do you expect me to do? Teleport?”</p>
<p>“That would definitely be a good start,” she threw back. “I’ll get your damn smoothie on the way over. Did you want anything else, your highness? Oh, I’m sorry. I mean did my nephew want anything else?”</p>
<p>“Well, now that you mention it, maybe a cheeseburger and fries while you’re at it?” You heard another grumble on the other end of the phone.</p>
<p>“Fine,” she replied, and then the line went dead. You sent her a text, thanking her for being such a great friend and aunt, laughing the entire time.</p>
<p>
  <b>You: Thank youuuuuuu for being the best auntie and friend ever.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Mel: Yeah, yeah. Fuck you.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <b>You: I love youuuuuuuu. &lt;3</b>
</p>
<p>About a half-hour later, you heard a loud knock, signaling her arrival. As you opened the door, you caught sight of the smoothie and a whiff of the cheeseburger and fries. You snatched the food out of her hands, aggressively waddling to the kitchen, as you pushed some fries into your mouth. You let out a moan at the taste since you had been craving fries all day. Mel walked into the kitchen, rolling her eyes as you ravenously devoured the food.</p>
<p>“Here’s your smoothie, clown,” she said, setting the cup on the table next to your almost finished food.</p>
<p>“Fank you,” you managed to say, mouth full of fries and a bite of the cheeseburger. She took a seat next to you and pulled out her phone.</p>
<p>“So, you wanted help putting stuff away?” You nodded, wolfing down the remaining pieces of food. “What exactly do I have to do?”</p>
<p>“If you could just fold some of the blankets and help me put the rest of the baby stuff away, that would be awesome,” you said, now that your mouth was not full. The two of you retreated into the nursery and began arranging things in the drawers and closet. You folded the clothes, handing them to Mel, and she placed them into the dresser.</p>
<p>“So many clothes for such a little person,” she spoke, holding up a little Captain America onesie. “Seriously, I don’t think I even have this many clothes.”</p>
<p>“Well, he’s going to be spitting up on himself and whatnot, so of course he’s going to need lots of clothes.”</p>
<p>“I suppose so,” she replied. “Speaking of which, do you have an outfit picked out for him for when you bring him home?”</p>
<p>“A what?”</p>
<p>“A bring your baby home outfit!” You shook your head, having no clue what she was talking about.</p>
<p>“It’s the outfit that you bring the baby home in when you get out of the hospital,” she explained, a look that said ‘duh’.</p>
<p>“Oh, what about these clothes?” you asked, gesturing to the pile that still needed to be folded. She shook her head.</p>
<p>“No no. It’s supposed to be a super cute and special outfit since it’s the first one that he gets to wear home.”</p>
<p>“Why does that matter?”</p>
<p>“Because it just does!” she retorted. “If you don’t have an outfit yet, then we better go get him one.” You heaved out a sigh, not liking the prospect of going out and walking around, much less shopping.</p>
<p>“I guess we can do that,” you mumbled.</p>
<hr/>
<p>You hated walking around Target. You hated it even more now that you were almost nine months pregnant, and could no longer see your feet. The entire drive to the store, you were whining to Mel how you didn’t want to go, but she insisted on it. ‘My nephew is not coming home in some random ass outfit that he’s going to wear again.’ You rolled your eyes at her, thinking that the concept was completely ridiculous, but suffered through it, nonetheless.</p>
<p>As she pushed the cart around the store, you toddled after her as best as you could. She stopped at a rack that had baby outfits on it, pulling some off to show you.</p>
<p>“What about this one?” The outfit was a sailor outfit, complete with a little sailor hat. You scrunched your nose at it.</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“What about this?” This outfit looked like a mini suit. Newborn-sized button-up, paired with newborn-sized pants that looked like jeans.</p>
<p>“Absolutely not.”</p>
<p>“Here!” She held up another outfit, this one less dramatic than the others, but still over the top.</p>
<p>“I am not dressing my son up in a Batman outfit, that has a mask and beanie with it,” you proclaimed. She huffed, placing the clothes back on the rack.</p>
<p>“Fine, you killjoy,” she mumbled. “Oh! How about this one?” You took your time to look at her and were surprised at the low-key outfit she had in her hands. It was a set of baby pajamas, with a Baby Yoda design on it. Under the graphic, the words ‘The Child’ were written in a cute font and muted colors. Nothing over the top, just like you wanted.</p>
<p>“That one is perfect,” you said with a grin. She was placing the clothes into the cart when your phone rang. She handed you the buzzing device but you did not recognize the caller ID.</p>
<p>“Hello?” you answered.</p>
<p>“Hello is this,” the voice paused, paper shuffling in the background, before finally saying your name.</p>
<p>“Speaking,” you said in confusion.</p>
<p>“Yes, this is Mary from Boston Memorial Hospital giving you a call,” the voice identified themselves. You looked at Mel, bewildered with the call. <em>This is so random.</em> “I’m calling because you are listed as an emergency contact.”</p>
<p>“Emergency contact?” you questioned, nobody coming to mind who would list you as their emergency contact.</p>
<p>“Yes, your name is listed here as the emergency contact for a Mr. David York.” The phone slipped from your quaking hands. <em>This must be a joke. It’s a fucking joke.</em> Mel picked up the phone and handed it back to you.</p>
<p>“Hello? Hello?”</p>
<p>“Ye – yes, I’m here,” you stuttered out. “Dave York?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she confirmed. “He is currently being treated here at Boston Memorial.” Your hands were trembling, head spinning, chest seizing up.</p>
<p>“Um – is he – is he alright?” you inquired in disbelief. <em>He’s alive?</em></p>
<p>“For the most part, but I think it is best if you come and we can go over all of the details with you.” Mary rattled off the address and where to go once you arrived and then hung up. Your knees were weak, and you held onto the cart to stay steady.</p>
<p>“What was that?” Mel asked, concerned at your change in demeanor. You opened and closed your mouth, speechless from the news.</p>
<p>“That was – uh – they said,” you struggled to formulate the words, “they – they – it’s about Dave.”</p>
<p>“Dave?” Mel’s eyes went wide.</p>
<p>“He – he’s – he’s,” your words were cut short with a sob, “they said he – he – he’s alive.” Mel gasped, hand flying to her mouth in astonishment. Tears were streaming down your face, and you fought to breathe through your nose as you tried to speak.</p>
<p>“We – we have – we have to go there,” you choked out. “Now. We – we have to – go there – now.” She nodded her head, supporting your body as you exited the store and got into her car, shopping trip forgotten.</p>
<p>“Where are we going?” You were catatonic, frozen, mind empty. “Hey, where are we going?” You blinked, focusing on her words.</p>
<p>“Boston – Boston Memorial,” you sputtered out. Mel put the car into gear and drove off. As she navigated to the hospital, all you could think about was Dave. <em>He’s alive. He’s – he’s alive. They said he’s alive. But how?</em> Mel was driving as fast as she could to get you there, and you were sure she was breaking a few traffic laws on the way, but you did not care. You were going to see him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Mel pulled into the parking spot with a screech, flying out of the car to open your door. You mindlessly followed her as she guided you. Crossing the threshold, reality finally hit you. <em>This is real. He’s really alive.</em> You managed to compose yourself as you walked through the building, following the signs to the unit Mary had told you to go to. You approached the receptionist there, patiently waiting for her to get off the phone. After a moment she finally hung up and greeted you, taking in the very pronounced belly.</p>
<p>“Hello, how can I help you?”</p>
<p>“I – um – I got a call from Mary about Dave York?” you stated, the words coming across more as a question. “I’m his fiancée.” She clicked a few things on her computer and then nodded.</p>
<p>“One moment. I just need to alert the doctor that you’re here,” she said as she picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Doctor Parker, I have someone here for Dave York. It’s his fiancée.” She nodded her head as the person on the other line spoke and then hung up.</p>
<p>“Doctor Parker will be with you in just a moment,” she stated. “You can take a seat over there and he’ll be here in just a few.” You nodded and Mel helped you to the chairs. You sat and waited for what seemed to be an eternity. You saw a woman with a doctor’s coat come down the hall and met her eyes.</p>
<p>“Hi, I’m Doctor Parker,” she greeted once she stood in front of you. “You’re here for Dave?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” you softly answered, nodding your head, and looked down at the ground. “I’m his fiancée.” She sat down in the open chair next to you and took a deep breath.</p>
<p>“Dave York has sustained a large number of injuries,” she began, “and he has just woken up from a coma last night. When he arrived he had no form of identification on him, so we were unable to reach out to you until today when he told us who he was and we were able to pull up his records. I’m sorry about that, and I’m sure you’ve been very worried.” You snapped your head in her direction when you heard her words. <em>Injuries? A coma?</em></p>
<p>“What kind of injuries?” you squeaked out.</p>
<p>“When he was brought in, he had a broken leg, which has since healed, multiple stab wounds on his legs and chest, a larger one located just below his heart, barely missing it. His neck was slashed so severely, a little too close to the brain stem, that it is a miracle he even survived. He is extremely lucky to be alive, especially from the multitude of injuries.” You were slowly absorbing her words. <em>Multiple stab wounds. Neck slashed. Miracle. Lucky. Alive.</em></p>
<p>“In addition to those injuries, his left eye was badly damaged, and unfortunately, we were unable to save it. Furthermore, his head has undergone massive amounts of trauma and damage so it often goes into a coma to heal itself. We are not sure how extensive the damage to his brain is, so we will have to perform an MRI and CT scan later today, but he fully aware and cognitive at the moment.”</p>
<p>“Can – can I see him?” you stuttered out, heart beating heavy in your chest. <em>I just want to see him.</em> Doctor Parker nodded and stood up.</p>
<p>“Of course. However, he may be a little hazy from the medication, but otherwise, I can bring you to him.” You nodded your head and Mel squeezed your hand, helping you stand up to follow the doctor. The three of you walked down the hall, stopping just outside a door.</p>
<p>“He is just through here,” she said pointing to the door. “I’m sure you’ve been looking forward to seeing him. I’ll give you all some privacy.” With that, she walked away and you stood there with Mel, staring at the door. You took in a large breath as you gripped the door handle, unsure of what awaited you on the other side. <em>He is alive. That’s all that matters.</em></p>
<p>“I’ll be right outside,” Mel whispered to you, squeezing your shoulder reassuringly. You gave her a small nod as you began to twist the door handle.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Your heartbeat loudly rang through your ears as you slowly pushed the door open, bracing yourself for what lay on the other side. There he sat. He was there. He was alive. <em>Oh my god. </em>You paid little attention to the bandages adorning his head, neck, and chest. You could only see the man you had grieved for the last several months. The man you thought was dead, now sat in front of you, very much alive. Happiness surged through you at the realization that this was no trick. It was real.</p>
<p>“Thank god, you’re alive!” you exclaimed, rushing over to his side, throwing your arms around him, and unleashed a flow of tears. Tears of joy. He was back. He had come back. Just like he promised. <em>No matter what,</em> his voice echoed in your mind<em>.</em> <em>I promise. </em>You pulled his face to yours in a fiery kiss, pouring all the pent-up passion into it. You felt his body tense, slightly pulling back, and he gripped your shoulders tightly, hard enough that you knew a bruise would be there tomorrow. He harshly shoved you back, paying no attention to your large round belly, and almost knocked you to the ground.</p>
<p>Your heart stopped. You stood there frozen, looking at the man that you were hopelessly in love with. The man who had promised you forever. The man whose baby you were carrying. What you saw in his eyes, made your blood run cold, freezing your bones running straight to your core. His eyes lacked that tender spark he once carried for you. His gaze held no gentleness or kindness, nothing but darkness and anger. It did not hold the love that he had for you. In its place was a vacant expression, cold and calculating eyes glaring at you.</p>
<p>You took a tentative step forward, hand outstretched, trying to understand what was happening. <em>Maybe he was just confused.</em> The voice in your head spoke, but your gut told you differently. <em>The doctor said his brain was injured so maybe that’s why? </em>You reached his bedside, biting your lip anxiously.</p>
<p>“Dave, are you okay?” you whispered, placing your hand against his cheek. He unkindly grabbed your wrist, ripping your palm away from his face, his hold so strong and bruising that you thought he might snap it.</p>
<p>The look he gave you penetrated the deepest parts of your soul, like a fire racing through, ravaging everything in its path, only pain, and anguish left behind. The words that sprang forth from his lips decimated your very being, the world crumbling down around you, breath catching in your throat. The words hit you with the force of a thousand sledgehammers, smashing your heart to pieces, and cruelly tore apart your spirit. With those words, the love within you was completely shattered with agony and sorrow taking its place. You never thought that three simple, and plain, words held such power, and yet, they did. Three words that changed everything.</p>
<p>
  <b>“Who are you?”</b>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The Revival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Summary: Dave is alive, but at what cost? Reader wrestles with reality.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: ANGST, language</p>
<p>A/N: Just a few more chapters before we come to the end! Ahhh!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Who are you?”</p>
<p>The words were deafening, ringing in your ears, drowning out the world around you. ‘Who are you?’ They were haunting, ripping into you like a thousand knives. <em>He doesn’t remember me….He doesn’t remember us...</em> You stood there in shock, unable to speak, your free hand coming to rest on your swollen bump. His eyes followed the movement before returning to your face, eyes narrowing at you. His following three words hurt just as much as the first.</p>
<p>“Where is Carol?”</p>
<p>You held back tears as you slowly pulled your hand away when his grip finally loosened around your wrist. You swallowed before opening your mouth, contemplating how you should answer. Taking a deep breath, you decided to go for the one closest to the truth, now knowing that he did not remember you.</p>
<p>“She’s – um – she’s on a work trip,” you slowly stated, rubbing your wrist where a small bruise was already forming. “I’m the nanny.” His eyebrows raised at your proclamation.</p>
<p>“We hired a nanny?” You nodded as you cast your eyes downward, the ground suddenly looking interesting. “Why did we hire a fucking nanny?” You recoiled at his aggressive tone. <em>He’s not your Dave anymore.</em></p>
<p>“Well – uh – Carol thought it would be helpful to you while she was away for work.” You answered, awkwardly shifting your weight between your feet and fidgeting with your fingers. Dave studied you, taking in your appearance, particularly your protruding belly, and recalled the kiss. The kiss had ignited something within him, but he was not sure what.</p>
<p>“So, if you’re the nanny, why the hell did you kiss me?” <em>Fuck. </em>“And why the fuck are you crying?”</p>
<p>“Um –,” you stuttered, unsure how to answer that. <em>I can’t just come out and tell him who I am to him. He doesn’t remember the baby or me. But how am I supposed to answer?</em></p>
<p>“Well?”</p>
<p>“Um – well – you see…I didn’t mean to.” You wanted to slap yourself. <em>I didn’t mean to? What the fuck kind of excuse is that? </em>“I was – uh – just really glad you were alive since the girls have been really sad.”</p>
<p>“That doesn’t explain why you kissed me.”</p>
<p>“I – um – meant to kiss your cheek,” you sputtered out, the fluctuation of your voice making it sound like a question. Dave hummed at you but decided to let the subject slide. He could tell you were uncomfortable, and he felt like there was more to your story, especially since that was more of a lover’s kiss than a platonic one. <em>Did I have an affair with her?</em> Dave thought to himself. He was confused, head still in a haze, and the more he thought about everything, the more his head throbbed. The two of you heard a knock at the door, and after a moment, Dr. Parker let herself in.</p>
<p>“How are you feeling, Dave?” she asked.</p>
<p>“As good as I can be,” he replied with a shrug. “When will I be released?”</p>
<p>“Right now, you will need to stay for a week, maybe two, for observation. You’ve been through quite an ordeal, and since you just woke up last night, we want to run some tests and see how you are doing.”</p>
<p>“So, a week or two,” he repeated. Dr. Parker nodded, eyes darting between the two of you, noticing your uncomfortable posture and the lack of contact.</p>
<p>“If it’s all right with you both, I’d like to get the ball rolling and get that CT and MRI done. I’d also like to get an x-ray to see how that leg is doing.” Dave raised his eyebrow at her words, unsure why she was addressing you in the matter. As if you were his partner and not Carol.</p>
<p>“That’s fine. The sooner we get this shit done, the sooner I can get out of here,” Dave quipped. “Although, I thought my wife had been called, so I’m not sure why the nanny is here.” His words stung, and tears prickled your eyes once more.  Hearing him speak about Carol being there instead of you was like twisting the proverbial knife in the wound he had inflicted, sinking deeper into your heart. If Dr. Parker was caught off guard by his words and tone, she did not show it, instead opting to acknowledge his consent to get the tests done right away.</p>
<p>“I will go ahead and call for a nurse to take you down to the MRI room and see how the results look,” she replied, and Dave nodded before turning to you.</p>
<p>“You can leave now. There’s no need for you to be here, and you should do your job and take care of my daughters.” The cruel way he addressed you further cut into you, and you meekly nodded.</p>
<p>“Miss, I will go ahead and show you out,” Dr. Parker kindly stated, feeling the tension in the air thicken. You mindlessly followed her, refusing to look at Dave as you exited. The moment the door shut behind you, you spotted Mel and collapsed into her arms, unleashing the sobs you had been suppressing.</p>
<p>“He doesn’t remember me,” you cried. “He thinks I’m just the nanny.” Mel attempted to soothe you, running a hand up and down your back as you continued to weep. The doctor looked on, a sad expression on her face, understanding how hard this was for you.</p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Mel asked Dr. Parker, and you paused your wailing to look at the woman. “How can he not remember her?”</p>
<p>“From what I gather, he may be suffering from retrograde amnesia. He can recall long-term memories, but more recent memories are affected,” she began to explain. “Due to the severity of his brain injuries, this response is quite common.”</p>
<p>“Will he get them back?” you managed to croak out, and she sighed heavily.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I am unable to answer that,” she answered. “In most cases, patients regain their memories; however, the length of time to achieve that is uncertain. Sometimes those memories never return.” Your tears resumed, unable to fathom the thought of Dave never remembering you or your son.</p>
<p>“Is there some way to help him remember?” Mel asked as if reading your mind.</p>
<p>“In a way, yes. There is no specific way to cure retrograde amnesia, but some people have found that exposing them to certain things or events from their past can speed up the process. Others have even gone as far as recreating those memories in hopes of jogging their memory.” You began to think of significant moments in your relationship, and many came to mind, but you were hesitant to bring them up to Dave. <em>I don’t want to piss him off again. His reaction to me was already bad enough. I don’t want to imagine what it would be like to tell him that we were involved and that this baby is his.</em> You were conflicted.</p>
<p>On the one hand, you wanted him to remember. You wanted the man who loved you back. On the other hand, you feared the potential wrath he would rain down on you if he thought you were lying. You were not sure what to do or how to fix this situation. Time would only tell, but you were unsure how long it would take for him to regain his memory. Or if he would regain them at all.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After you left, Dave was taken to get an MRI, CT scan, and x-ray. According to Dr. Parker, the x-ray looked promising, which he was happy to hear, but the brain scans were a different matter.</p>
<p>“Your leg has healed quite nicely. However, due to the muscle atrophy, you will have some difficulty walking and will need to come in every other day or so for physical therapy.”</p>
<p>“And how long would physical therapy last?” he questioned, anxious to see how long he would be unable to work. <em>I can’t rely on the boys to get every job done.</em></p>
<p>“Depending on your body, it can last from a few weeks to a few months. I’m assuming you were in good shape before everything, so it shouldn’t take too long, but time will only tell. I’m estimating maybe a maximum of six to eight months, especially if you are coming in multiple times a week.”</p>
<p>“Okay, well, I want to go home as soon as possible, doc,” he replied. She let out a sigh.</p>
<p>“Mr. York, although the majority of your superficial injuries have healed, and you are recovering surprisingly quick, your body is still recuperating. Your leg has healed well enough, but we must address your multiple other injuries,” she began. “The multiple stab wounds have entirely healed while you were unconscious, which is good, and your vocal cords do not seem to be in bad shape. You may experience some discomfort talking for extended periods, so please keep that in mind. I can also see that you are straining your right eye, and it will take some time to adjust to the monovision, so try not to overwork it. Your eye is a muscle, and we want to ease you into all of the changes.” Dave took all the information in, attempting to remember how he had come to acquire said injuries, but his mind was drawing a blank.</p>
<p>“Lastly, your brain scans,” she added but then paused, looking at the computer screen. “As I explained last night, the initial brain scans we took when you were brought in revealed massive head trauma, causing your frontal and temporal lobe to swell, and we had to go in and quickly relieve the pressure. As a result, damage to the hippocampus, located within the temporal lobe, most likely occurred, which would explain the memory loss.”</p>
<p>“Memory loss?”</p>
<p>“Yes, it’s a very common result from brain trauma. However, we could not have known how much damage had occurred until you had woken up.” Dave was confused. He knew that some parts of his memory were a little hazy, and he could not recall what happened to him before waking up in the hospital, but he did not think it was this severe. He looked at the doctor blankly, and she pursed her lips.</p>
<p>“Mr. York, what is the last thing you remember?”</p>
<p>“I – I,” he attempted to answer, head beginning to hurt from the strain.</p>
<p>“Do you remember anything before waking up?” He shook his head, struggling for a memory. <em>The last thing I can remember is fighting with Carol about her being gone so much. I think.</em></p>
<p>“Um – the only thing I can really remember is fighting with my wife,” he finally answered, hand coming up to massage his temple.</p>
<p>“Do you remember how long ago that was?” He shook his head again, beginning to grow more unsettled with each passing moment.</p>
<p>“I don’t know.”</p>
<p>“Do you remember meeting the woman who was just here?”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“What is the last date you can recall?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what all this is supposed to do,” he stated, slightly irritated from her barrage of questions.</p>
<p>“If you can remember a date, we can possibly establish a timeline of how far back the memory loss goes.” He nodded, understanding the logic behind it.<em> If I had my phone with me, this would be so much easier.</em></p>
<p>“Well, what day is it today?” She looked down at her watch and quirked an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“It’s actually Valentine’s Day.”</p>
<p>“What year?”<em> Wait, what?</em></p>
<p>“2019.” Dave sat there blankly, thinking about the large gap in his memory. He struggled to remember something, anything. After a few moments, a clear memory finally came to him. <em>Halloween. 2016.</em></p>
<p>“The last date I remember clearly was Halloween in 2016,” he slowly said. “I remember that now. Because that day, my wife and I fought about her frequent absences, and I ended up having to take the girls trick or treating alone. That – that’s the last thing I can remember right now.” The doctor nodded and jotting down some notes.</p>
<p>“I see,” she replied. “I’m sorry that you have a few years that are unaccounted for, but with time, I am sure they will return.” Dave let out a small sigh, the lost time weighing heavily in his mind. <em>What the fuck happened to me?</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>-Five and a Half Months Before-</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>Dave regained consciousness moments after he fell into the ocean. He was floating, and all he felt was the chill of the frigid seawater and the throbbing through his body. As his body drifted, he felt weightless, and it took everything in him to snap out of the haze and try to move. However, his form had other thoughts. As he tried to push his arm through the water, he winced, the stiffness of his limb making it nearly impossible. He finally opened his one good eye and tried to lift his head from the water, but abruptly stopped as electricity coursed through him. The unimaginable pain emanating from his neck was causing him a great deal of discomfort, and he resolved to halt any attempts of moving his head.</p>
<p>The waves were also unforgiving, rolling around him, invisible hands snaking over his legs, attempting to pull him under the surface. His tattered jacket was desperately clinging to his body, the ocean making it stick to him like a second skin, and he began to feel the weight of it. After several attempts, he finally managed to maneuver his arms to claw the material off himself, letting the water sweep it away. He let out a ragged breath and continued to float on his back, looking up at the dark and cloudy sky before finally closing his eye and once again imaging your face. The face he would never see again. He knew that his time had come, and it was only a matter of time before he was completely swept out to sea, and his body forever lost to the depths.</p>
<p>The rumbling of the storm echoed in his ears, and he thought of what could have been if he had not let his anger and pride control him, making him go after Mac. He imagined the two of you sitting in the living room with you leaned against his chest, his left hand cradling your plump middle, a book clutched in his other as he read the words out loud. He envisioned feeling your child wiggle around at the sound of his voice and your laughter filling the air at the sensation. <em>I wonder if it’s a girl or boy,</em> Dave thought as his imagination continued to run wild. He kept on dreaming about what his future might have held, feeling the darkness creep over him once again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>-Shortly After-</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>An older man walked along the sandy shore when he saw Dave’s figure lying face down on the ground. The man rushed to his side, fearing the worst. He was stunned at Dave’s condition, blood covering his body, soaking his clothes, open wounds scattered about, swollen from the seawater. The good Samaritan reached two fingers down to the uninjured side of Dave’s neck, wearily eyeing the deep gash, and looked for a pulse, eyes widening in astonishment at the faint beat he found.</p>
<p>He scrambled for his phone and called for help, informing them that it was an urgent matter, describing Dave’s injuries to the dispatcher. Within moments, the roar of a helicopter thundered through the air, coming to retrieve Dave, and the older man prayed that he would pull through. As they flew away, the paramedics tended to his body, shocked at the state of it, knowing his life was hanging by a thread. A very thin, very fragile thread. They needed to get him immediate medical attention but were uncertain whether he would survive the short trip to the hospital. He was still somewhat stable when they arrived, but he was fading fast, and he was rushed into surgery.</p>
<p>The doctors franticly operated on him, tirelessly working to sterilize and close the countless wounds. While he was on the operating table, his blood pressure rapidly dropped, his body beginning to seize, and they had to find the source of the problem before it was too late. They discovered massive cerebral hemorrhaging, with both the frontal and temporal lobe swelling and pressing up against his skull, and they needed to alleviate the pressure to save his life. After what seemed like an eternity in the operating room, the doctors had finally stabilized him, and he was taken to the intensive care unit to recover. However, after two days, he had yet to wake, and the doctors grew anxious. He did not respond to any painful stimuli, his eyes remained closed, and he was completely unresponsive. The only indicators that he was still alive were the steady beeping of the EKG machine and the slight rise and fall of his chest with assistance from the ventilator.</p>
<p>They kept a close watch on him, checking every two hours, and for two days, all seemed fine. But, one morning, a nurse noticed that he was sweating profusely, had an elevated heart rate, and was heavily breathing. The wound on Dave’s neck had been infected, and he was going into sepsis and needed treatment quickly before he worsened. They administered more antibiotics and fluids into his system, and for a few days, it was touch and go. Dave’s body was working overtime, fighting off a severe infection, while also trying to stay alive and recover from the brain swelling. They had caught the sepsis in time, but Dave would go into septic shock if it were to worsen, which would lead to organ failure and then ultimately death. He was on Death’s doorstep, and it would take a miracle for him to survive.</p>
<p>Several days passed, and by some divine intervention, Dave was once again stable. Although he was still comatose, his body was slowly healing, but it still had a long way to go. Days passed, then weeks, and eventually months, as Dave continued to sleep. Because he had no identification, the nurses had dubbed him Miracle Man, the nickname well-earned since he had battled injuries that would have otherwise been fatal. They tended to him daily and hoped that one day he would wake up, but with how much he had already undergone, they were skeptical that he would ever wake.</p>
<p>But then, after months of sleeping, Dave finally woke up.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The first thing Dave saw when he woke up was a blinding light, the brightness of the fluorescents making him squint. It took a moment before his other senses finally kicked in, and he began to discern where he was. The increasingly shrill beeping of a machine next to him rang in his ears. The material under his fingers felt scratchy and thin, offering almost no protection from the shiver that ran down his spine. The omnipresent stench of antiseptic and cleaning solution tickled his nose, and his mouth was dry. The feeling of something lodged in his throat caused him significant discomfort, and as he tried to swallow, the object remained in place, causing him slight panic. Once he realized it was a tube and he was hooked up to numerous machines, his mind began to quiet, and he felt around for the button to call a nurse. Within seconds, a man rushed in and took in his conscious form, calling for a doctor. Dave laid there, waiting for some time before a doctor and two nurses came in.</p>
<p>“Welcome back,” the doctor greeted with a smile. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal.” Dave attempted to sit up, but she shook her head.</p>
<p>“We need to remove the tube first and assess your condition, and I’m sure you have some questions.” If Dave could move his head, he would have nodded, but all he could do was lay there. The nurses stood on each side of him, and one of them reached over to remove the tube carefully.</p>
<p>“This isn’t going to feel good, but please bear with me,” the other one said as Dr. Parker wrote down notes. The plastic slipped out of his trachea with ease, but the feeling of a long tube being extracted was painful, and he clenched his fist. Once it was entirely out, the doctor came and sat by his side, the two nurses wheeling out the machine and checking the bags hanging beside him.</p>
<p>“We’ll get more fluids for him, doc,” a nurse stated as she took note of the depleted bags, and Dr. Parker nodded. Dave opened his mouth to speak, but the lack of use caused his vocal cords to rub together harshly, eliciting a pained groan from him. The woman held up her hand and cleared her throat before looking down at a clipboard.</p>
<p>“It’s going to be some time before you can speak without discomfort, so please don’t strain; otherwise, it’s going to feel worse,” she instructed before she continued. “Unfortunately, you came in with no identification, but once you feel comfortable speaking, we can get all that information and reach out to your family. I’m going to take your vitals now, and I don’t want you to push yourself, so let’s take it one step at a time, okay?” Dave slowly nodded, and she began her tasks, writing down everything as she went. When she finished, she sat back down and looked at him.</p>
<p>“You must have a lot of questions for me, so I’m going to explain as much as I can,” she began. “A little over five months ago, you were brought in, and the shape you were in was…. horrifying, to say the least. You were covered in numerous wounds, and to be honest, we weren’t sure you were going to make it. There were a few close calls, but by some miracle, you managed to pull through. Someone up there must really like you.” <em>Have I been asleep for almost six months? </em>Dave absorbed her words as she continued to explain what kind of condition he was in initially. She informed him of his broken leg, the loss of his left eye, and the numerous lacerations covering his body, the most problematic ones on his neck and chest. Time seemed to drag on with each explanation, and Dave began to feel overwhelmed. Sensing the information overload, Dr. Parker stopped and cleared her throat.</p>
<p>“I know it’s a lot to take in right now, so I’ll leave you to get some rest. We can talk some more tomorrow.” With those words, she departed, and Dave let out a breath. His chest and throat were still sore from being intubated, but luckily it had faded to be more of a dull ache. He kept his eye open, adjusting to the loss of the other one, and he began to think. He wasn’t sure how he had ended up in the hospital, much less how he acquired his injuries. He calmed his mind and tried to think of the most basic things. Starting with his name. Relief flowed through him as he remembered who he was. <em>I am David York. Born April 2nd, 1975. I am married to Carol York. I have two daughters, Alice and Molly. </em>He let out a breath and relaxed as he repeated those words in his head and thought of their faces. He closed his eye and decided to rest a little before morning came. <em>I’ve rested enough, but tomorrow is going to be a long day.</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>Dave woke as slivers of sunlight peaked through the curtain as he opened his eye and sighed. Last night had not been a dream. As he recalled the previous night’s events, a nurse came in.</p>
<p>“Good morning, Miracle Man,” she greeted with a smile. <em>Miracle Man?</em> Dave’s confusion must have been evident on his face because she let out a chuckle. “We didn’t want to keep calling you ‘John Doe,’ and the nickname seemed fitting after everything that you’ve gone through.”</p>
<p>“I see,” he hoarsely replied, awkwardly nodding his head at her explanation. She beamed at him as she heard his voice.</p>
<p>“Oh! You’ve got your voice back. That’s good!” she exclaimed. “Though, you shouldn’t push yourself too much.”</p>
<p>“I know my name,” he blankly stated, her quirkiness being too much for him to handle so early in the day. “The doctor said you’d call my family?”</p>
<p>“Absolutely! Let’s get your information down, and we can get them here.” He rattled off his information to her, and she hurried away to call his family. As he waited, nurses rotated through his room, checking on his condition. Dave showed more improvement with each check-in, being able to speak without as much discomfort, and Dr. Parker was impressed. Several hours passed, and Dave was growing antsy. The medication he was on did enough to numb the pain, but he was not a fan of hospitals or being cooped up.</p>
<p>He was snapped from his thoughts as the door to his room slowly opened, and a very heavily pregnant woman walked through. His mind was swimming with confusion as they looked at each other, and then she suddenly threw herself at him, arms wrapped around him, tears flowing down her face. She quickly tugged him into a heated kiss, and he tensed. <em>What the fuck?</em> As she pulled away, he brought his hands up to grip her shoulders and pushed her back. He watched as she stumbled and almost fell over, and his gaze hardened. <em>Who does this woman think she is?! </em>Dave felt something tug at him from that kiss, but he pushed it away. He could never betray Carol like that. Ever. Conflict swirled within him as he blankly stared at the mysterious woman as she took a timid step forward.</p>
<p>“Dave, are you okay?” she whispered, placing her hand on his cheek. It was soft, and the warmth was comforting, but the image of his wife came to mind and drew him back to reality. He roughly grabbed her wrist and pulled it away, angrily looking at her.</p>
<p>“Who are you?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Your trip to the hospital had turned out differently than you had expected. Instead of getting the happy reunion that you hoped for, you walked away with a broken heart. It still hurt the second time around, and you weren’t sure which was worse, thinking Dave was dead or him being alive and not remembering you. Mel had taken you home, and you sat on the sofa staring off into space, waiting for her to pick up the girls from school. <em>How am I supposed to explain this to the girls? What am I going to do now? How do I explain to him that he and Carol are divorced? </em>Question after question ran through your head.</p>
<p>You were pulled from your thoughts as you heard the slam of car doors and the patter of feet on the pavement before Alice flung the door open. She and Molly saw you on the couch, with a forlorn expression, and stopped in their tracks. They slowly approached you and sat down on either side of you as Mel walked in, carrying a tray of smoothies. She gingerly placed it on the coffee table and took a seat on the armchair across from the three of you, and watched.</p>
<p>“Mom, what’s wrong?” Molly whispered with a hug. You let out a sigh as you drew both girls to you.</p>
<p>“Girls, I have to tell you something,” you began, trying to find the right words. “Um – your dad – well – he’s alive.” silence filled the air as they processed your words.</p>
<p>“Daddy’s alive?!” Alice exclaimed, leaping up with excitement. Molly pressed herself against you further, sensing your sadness.</p>
<p>“Yes, but there is something you should know,” you continued, causing Alice to pause and Molly to look up at you. “Your daddy – he doesn’t – he doesn’t remember your baby brother or me.” They cocked their heads in confusion.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Molly questioned.</p>
<p>“He doesn’t remember you?” Alice added. You gave them a nod, and tears stung the corner of your eyes, threatening to spill.</p>
<p>“What mommy is trying to say is that your daddy hit his head very hard, and he is having a little trouble remembering.” Mel cut in, knowing you were on the verge of breaking down.</p>
<p>“Will he be okay?” Alice asked.</p>
<p>“We hope so,” Mel stated. “But it is going to be a little tough.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“Because – “</p>
<p>“Because daddy only knows me as the nanny,” you interjected, finding your voice once again. “So, we are going to have to act like that for a while, okay? At least until he remembers.” The girls looked at you in confusion.</p>
<p>“But why?” came Molly’s voice.</p>
<p>“Because it will make daddy’s head hurt more if we try and make him remember. He has to remember on his own,” you replied. “Think of it like me making you eat your veggies when you don’t want to, but if I don’t make you, you will eat them without a fight, right?” They nodded, understanding what you meant.</p>
<p>“So, when does he come home?” Alice asked.</p>
<p>“In a few weeks, I think,” you answered.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The weeks flew by quickly. Dave was released to go home about two and a half weeks after he woke up, with the stipulation that he return every other day for testing and physical therapy, and the girls could not have been more thrilled. You, on the other hand, were torn. The three of you had picked Dave up from the hospital, and the ride home was extremely awkward. The girls had filled the silence with their never-ending stories of all that Dave had missed, and you could tell that it weighed heavily on his mind that he could not remember the last few years. Dr. Parker had informed you that he had a memory gap of about three years, so he would not remember anything occurring during that timeframe.</p>
<p>During the two and a half weeks, you had moved your things from the master into the nursery, knowing Dave would question why your things were mixed with is, and you were not ready for such questions. Navigating around each other would be difficult, but Dave seemed to brush you off at each turn, only acknowledging you when needed. After all, to him, you were just the nanny. The days you would drive him to the doctor, and you had the girls alone, they would express their sadness at the tense atmosphere between the two of you. They would comfort you as much as they could, but you could tell that it was hurting them as well to see you so broken. Several times they had almost let it slip that you were carrying his child and that you were more than just the nanny to them, but every time you would catch it and shake your head at them. Luckily, Dave had been none the wiser or at least chose to ignore it, and you had been somewhat relieved.</p>
<p>He had asked about Carol several times and had even tried to call her but had noted that her number had changed, which he found to be very odd. You had tried to avoid the subject as much as you could, but one day it was unavoidable. While you were driving Dave to his appointment, he decided to bring her up yet again, and unbeknownst to you, he had found the files and divorce papers the night before.</p>
<p>“So, do you have anything to tell me about Carol? Or are you going to keep avoiding it?” His question had completely taken you off guard, and you knew he had you cornered. “Her number has changed, and she’s been gone on her ‘work trip’ for longer than she usually. What is going on?” You stayed silent while clutching the steering wheel tightly. <em>How the fuck do I answer? Oh my god, what do I say?!</em> You kept your eyes forward and could tell that Dave’s patience was growing thin.</p>
<p>“I would appreciate it if you did not hide things from me,” he added, sensing your unease, and decided to address you more kindly. You swallowed before glancing at him as you reached a stoplight.</p>
<p>“She’s - um – well – you kind of divorced her,” you finally answered, gulping nervously, waiting for a reaction. Dave let out a sigh and shook his head. “She was – um – having an affair.”</p>
<p>“I know.” You looked at him, eyes wide as saucers, at his admission. <em>He knew yet he had been asking you.</em> “I saw the photos last night, and I saw the divorce papers on my desk.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” came your quiet reply.</p>
<p>“So, tell me, why have you been keeping this from me?”</p>
<p>“I – uh – didn’t think it was my place to tell.”</p>
<p>“As the nanny, I’d think it was your place to tell me these things. After all, I have been making a fool of myself in front of my daughters, and you let me.” You bowed your head in shame. It sounded like he was blaming you.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I – I just didn’t know what to do,” you apologized.</p>
<p>“Don’t let it happen again,” came his short reply, his dismissive and slightly aggressive tone returning. You nodded and continued your way to his appointment in silence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Several more weeks passed after Dave had confronted you about Carol, and his demeanor had slowly changed. Gone was the brooding man who kept asking about his absent wife, instead replaced with a more attentive father who focused on his daughters. You were happy his mind was no longer on Carol, but that did not mean he would remember you, or his feelings for you would return. To him, you were still the nanny—the nanny who was currently pregnant with his child. You still felt awkward being in his presence alone, but he had gradually begun to warm up to you, acknowledging you more often than not. You could tell that he felt remorseful for how he had treated you initially, especially when he thought he was still married to Carol, but other than that, he did not show any affection besides more kindness toward you. Sometimes he would still respond in a harsh tone, but it had occurred less and less, and you were grateful.</p>
<p>One evening, after putting the girls to bed, you had sat in the living room, quietly reading when Dave entered and sat on the chair opposite of you. You looked up at him before darting your eyes back down to your book, trying to quell the thundering of your heart. He sat there, silently watching you, and you tried not to wiggle under the intensity of his gaze but found it challenging. He softly whispered your name, and you looked up, meeting his eye.</p>
<p>“Something has been bothering me for quite some time,” he began, and you grew anxious. <em>What could it possibly be now?</em> “Why do you never go home on weekends?” You froze, unsure why he was asking such questions. <em>Did he know?</em></p>
<p>“When Carol hired me, she said it was a live-in position and not to worry about my apartment,” you responded with a shrug. It was mostly the truth.</p>
<p>“I see. And the father?” he asked, gesturing to your bump. Your breath caught in your throat and you darted your eyes down, again caught off guard by his blatant curiosity and the slightly concerned tone in his voice. From what you could guess, he had yet to find the evidence of your relationship, mainly the security footage and photos from your time together. Then again, you had worked very hard to get rid of it all the evidence while he was in the hospital, not wanting to leave any trace, fearing it would upset him. Having a degree in computer sciences came in handy, and you had managed to back up all of the information about your relationship onto a separate hard drive that was secretly tucked away in your bedroom. Dave had been respectful enough not to invade your privacy and go into the nursery, and you were thankful. If he did, he would have found the few photos of the two of you sitting on your nightstand.</p>
<p>“Um – the father?” you questioned after a long pause. <em>Fuck fuck fuck.</em></p>
<p>“Yes, is there a father in the picture?” You shifted uncomfortably on the sofa and met his eyes once again, feeling them look deep into your soul as if searching for something.</p>
<p>“Not – not anymore,” you answered quietly, water beginning to blur your vision. “He – uh – he died.” <em>It isn’t a lie.</em> Dave sucked in a breath, his eyes softening as he took in your deflated form. This was the first time he had shown some semblance of care toward you, and you were not sure how to handle it.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry to hear that.”</p>
<p>“It is what it is.”</p>
<p>“May – may I ask what happened?” he asked gently. Again, his inquiry blindsided you. <em>Why does he suddenly want to know? Why the sudden caring attitude?</em></p>
<p>“I – um – I’m actually not sure,” you stated honestly. “All I know is he just disappeared the day after I told him, and I never heard from him again.” You began to fidget with the pages of the book on your lap, hoping he would drop the matter.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry that he did that to you,” he said sincerely. “No woman should ever have to go through that. And no woman should ever have to raise a child alone.” You nodded and decided that this heart-to-heart was too much for you to bear, so you stood.</p>
<p>“Thank you, but I think I will be fine,” you stated, giving him a tight-lipped smile as you exited the room and made your way to the nursery. That night you fell asleep, tears spilling onto your pillow.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Dave had been much more kind to you as time passed, and it seemed that the conversation had struck a chord in him because he had been offering to help you with things around the house more. However, due to his leg still lacking the strength it once had, it was a challenge, but he strived to help no matter what. You had also noticed that he sought out your company more often and not, frequently sitting in the same room as you to read a book in silence or even strike up a conversation here and there. It was a welcome change, but you were still wary. Time passed by as it did since he had come home, and that morning you found yourself in a mood.</p>
<p>You were sore, tired, and cranky. Your due date had come and gone, and you were now a day overdue, something that made you nervous, but the doctor had reassured you that sometimes it happened, and to give it another day or two before they would induce you. You were disgruntled about that, paranoid that something would go wrong. Nevertheless, you listened to her suggestion to hold off just a little longer in case your son decided to arrive on his own. It did not help that you had been experiencing Braxton Hicks on and off the last few days, and you were ready for your little one to arrive. You had attempted a manner of all methods to coax him out, even taking a stab at yoga, hoping your son would make up his mind and vacate the premises, but he still refused. <em>Just as stubborn as his father.</em></p>
<p>You had asked Mel to drop off the girls at school that day due to the false labor pains, which left you alone with Dave, and the man was unfortunate enough to be subjected to your constant grumbling. He could sense that you were growing impatient with each passing moment and had offered to rub your feet to alleviate some of the pain. You had refused, feeling awkward at the prospect of his hands on you, and instead tried to busy yourself with things around the house. Dave left you to your own devices and sat at the dining table, reading one of his many books while you did the dishes when he heard a groan and then the splash of water hitting the ground.</p>
<p>“Uh, Dave?” you squeaked out, staring at the wet spot beneath you. “I – uh – I think my water just broke.”</p>
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